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Education and Training

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Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 7

1.1 About this document ..................................................................................................................... 7

1.2 Why a Recommendation on “blended learning”? ......................................................................... 8

2. Blended learning and educational change ........................................................................................... 13

2.1 A history and a vision of blended learning ....................................................................................... 13

2.1.1 What is blended learning? .......................................................................................................... 13

2.1.2 Why rethink the blend of environments and tools with established practices of school site

learning? .............................................................................................................................................. 16

2.1.3 What is the history of blended learning?.................................................................................... 19

2.1.4 How many varieties of approaches can a blended learning approach integrate? ....................... 21

2.2 Key Competence development and blended learning ................................................................. 24

2.3 A blended learning approach by schools as part of the wider learning community and education

system 27

2.3.1 Whole School Approach ............................................................................................................ 27

2.3.2 Schools as Learning Organisations ............................................................................................ 29

2.3.3 System organisation and feedback loops ................................................................................... 30

2.4 Teachers and school leaders: moving to a blended learning approach ....................................... 33

2.5 Learners and blended learning .................................................................................................... 35

2.6 Glossary of terms ........................................................................................................................ 39

3. What has been learnt from European education stakeholders............................................................. 45

3.1 Stakeholder groups and modes of communication ..................................................................... 45

3.2 Main findings during the consultation process ........................................................................... 48

3.2.1 Design and management of learning ................................................................................... 49

Environments: where learning takes place .............................................................................. 50

Tools: types and access ........................................................................................................... 66

Tasks: how learning takes place .............................................................................................. 80

Assessment in blended learning .............................................................................................. 91

3.2.2. Supporting teachers ............................................................................................................. 97

3.2.3 School leadership: creating the appropriate school climate and culture ........................... 106

3.2.4 Well-being of staff and pupils ........................................................................................... 111

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3.2.5 Inclusion and targeted support to learners ........................................................................ 117

3.2.6 Quality assurance and building evidence for future development .................................... 129

4. Supporting the development of blended learning within primary and secondary education ............ 137

4.1 Challenges for implementation ................................................................................................. 138

4.1.1 Clear vision and co-ordinated approach by the whole of the system ....................................... 139

4.1.2 Developing a legal basis for enabling and supporting blended learning .................................. 141

4.1.3 Infrastructure: the need for investment .................................................................................... 142

4.2 European frameworks – competence and strategic guidance .................................................... 143

4.3 European tools that support the broad school education community ........................................ 148

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation of developments in blended learning ............................................. 152

4.5 European funding for developing blended learning in primary and secondary education ........ 153

5. A framework for Blended Learning .................................................................................................. 157

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1. Introduction

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1. Introduction

1.1 About this document

This Staff Working Document is designed to accompany and support the Recommendation on

blended learning for high quality and inclusive primary and secondary education.

It provides research evidence and other information as a basis for both the legal text of the

Recommendation and its subsequent supportive actions. It is also, as far as possible at the time of

writing, a practical guide/handbook to help stakeholders understand the full potential of this topic

and to support real and positive change across systems and across Europe.

The document describes a vision for blended learning in school education from the perspective

of the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-27 and European Education Area: its key ideas on

inclusion and on Key Competence development as part of high quality school education. It

describes how these ideas are connected to the concepts of a blended learning and innovation and

change in education. It also provides a glossary and further explanation of relevant terms (see

Chapter 2).

In order to support the statements of the Recommendation and to support action stemming from

its adoption, this document accompanying the proposal for a recommendation discusses recent

evidence from research together with European stakeholder opinions and experiences (see

Chapter 3). Examples of existing policies and projects supporting blended learning are provided.

However, given that this is an evolving field in school education – particularly in the context of

school site closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic – it should be acknowledged that new

evidence and perspectives are constantly emerging.

The document also outlines considerations for legislation and a number of existing EU

frameworks and tools that can inspire and support change at school, regional, national and EU

level, together with suggestions for monitoring and evaluating future developments (See Chapter

4).

Finally, based on the evidence and examples provided in the other chapters, the document

presents a framework for blended learning outlining a set of challenges and examples of good

practice on 10 specific areas (see Chapter 5).

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1.2 Why a Recommendation on “blended learning”?

It is the vision and the commitment of the European Union to improve the quality of school

education: its inclusiveness, the capacity of teachers and school leaders, and the governance of

school education systems.1 All learners should have the opportunity, supported by school

education, to achieve their full potential and develop a broad range of competences for their

current and future life in society.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread school site closure and a necessary embracing of

certain forms of distance and online learning, labelled “Emergency Remote Teaching”. It

demonstrated the capacity of systems to be flexible and inclusive with embedding different

learning environments and tools. Stakeholders, who were consulted for the preparation of the

Recommendation, pointed to the opportunity to build on these experiences and not lose any

positive effect of the current momentum of change. The actions taken by European education

systems in 2020-21 demonstrated that rapid adaptation and innovation in education is possible,

with the emergency response triggering new legislation for some systems, as well as more

autonomy and guidance to authorities and school leaders at the local level. Some schools and

systems have also developed new stakeholder partnerships, with parents, local and regional

communities, business, NGOs, and cultural organisations.

However, there were shortfalls from a lack of readiness of school education, including

Vocational Education and Training, systems and stakeholders to take advantage of different

learning environments and tools. These include low levels of digital competence and a lack of

sufficient resources (adequate tools, infrastructure, and time) to prepare and offer alternative

ways of learning. Science and arts, physical education, and VET were heavily disrupted, given

their focus on practical tasks. Existing inequalities in learner opportunities and progression have

been exposed further, and new inequalities have appeared.2 The European Commission is

committed to investing in recovery from the pandemic in the knowledge that education systems

have a desire and a need to improve their resilience, to cope and adapt with changing

circumstances in the future.

There is a need, a desire and an opportunity to build on this knowledge and experiences, draw

lessons from the experiences made during the pandemic, and explore the full potential of

blending learning environments and tools that, if sustained, can provide young people with an

1 https://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/school/about-school-policy_en 2 Whilst early research, such as by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, considered the “likely” impact of school site closures, emerging evidence is sometimes based on surveys to small samples of teachers asking about “perceived” gaps. Longitudinal data about pupil progression is not yet available for consideration on a European scale. What is consistent across this research is the variation in access to learning tools, contact time between teachers and pupils, and what is perceived to be a supportive home learning environment. It is this variation that is the basis for statements about “inequalities”.

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education that prepares them for a rapidly-changing and complex world.3. The challenges for the

design of school education remains the same as before the pandemic: how to build meaningful

learning experiences in different environments and for pupils of different ages, abilities and

circumstances; how to support broad competence development appropriate to learners’ needs for

today’s and the future global society; how to support well-being; and how to support teachers

and schools to be innovative in terms of their own organisational and pedagogical approaches,

for the benefit of all learners. In order to meet these challenges and improve capacity, a blended

learning approach requires a coherent approach by the school education system as a whole within

a culture of continous improvement.

3 Vegas, E. and Winthrop, R. (2020) Beyond reopening schools: How education can emerge stronger than before COVID-19. Available at https://www.brookings.edu/research/beyond-reopening-schools-how-education-can-emerge-stronger-than-before-covid-19/

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List of examples

EXAMPLE A: Comprehensive School Giovanni XXIII of Acireale, Italy

EXAMPLE B: Makerspaces – guidelines for schools and case studies

EXAMPLE C: Digital simulation tools that enhance VET learning in a safe environment

EXAMPLE D: School for Circus Children, Germany

EXAMPLE E: Using online platforms to support communication between learning environments

EXAMPLE F: “Scholaris” portal for teachers in Poland

EXAMPLE G: Interactive mathematics by implementing blended learning

EXAMPLE H: Online learning to support learning in a native language or where there are staff

shortages

EXAMPLE I: Youthpass for supporting and recognising non-formal learning

EXAMPLE J: Assessment of transversal skills: policy experimentation project

EXAMPLE K: Supporting school education and cultural partnerships in Norway and Latvia

EXAMPLE L: Portugal’s website “Support for Schools”, created in 2020

EXAMPLE M: Campus schools with a full-time distance learning option

EXAMPLE N: Websites for well-being at home – Luxembourg

EXAMPLE O: “Bednet” for pupils with a long-term illness and recuperation

EXAMPLE P: ‘iScoil’ for disengaged learners

EXAMPLE Q: Home-School Liaison Scheme (HSCL), Ireland

EXAMPLE R: Distance Learning Evaluation Tool

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List of figures

Figure 1: Examples of designing for learning in new ways with environments, tools and tasks 18 Figure 2: Timeline of distance learning in school education 20

Figure 3: Elements of a flipped classroom approach 20 Figure 4: Blended learning as a process including before and after learning events 21

Figure 5: Blended learning approach as a spectrum of situations and opportunities 24 Figure 6: The eight Key Competences for Lifelong Learning 25

Figure 7: Eight areas for institutions to consider when developing a blended learning strategy 29 Figure 8: The school as a learning organisation, as developed by the ET2020 Working Group Schools 30

Figure 9: Three levels of design and implementation of a blended learning approach 31 Figure 10: Eight steps to successful change 30

Figure 11: Learning and cultural identity transcends different environments 38 Figure 12: Student drawings as part of the 2021 consultation survey 51

Figure 13: Overlapping learning communities as a powerful environment for development 56

Figure 14: Student drawing of a classroom with comfortable furniture and one device per student 68 Figure 15: Percentage of households with broadband internet access, 2019 71

Figure 16: Tools used for Emergency Remote Teaching during spring 2020 71 Figure 17: SAMR model defining different levels of integrating educational technology 73

Figure 18: Parent's perceptions of children's learning skills during spring 2020 75 Figure 19: Percentage of individuals with “basic or above basic” digital skills among young people (16 to 19

years of age), 2019, as compared with the general population 78 Figure 20: Six learning types 81

Figure 21: Blended learning as a process of before, during and after the live/shared learning event 81 Figure 22: Example of the process of developing a personalised learning plan for a student 88

Figure 23: The roles of different stakeholders in managing the learning environments 91 Figure 24: Students with a higher sense of school belonging performed better in mathematics and science

100 Figure 25: A perspective on teacher competence in blended learning 103

Figure 26: Student concerns about getting poor grades because of online activities 112 Figure 27: Five areas for adapting established quality assurance processes 131

Figure 28: Considerations for a blended learning approach and ongoing school education development 138 Figure 29: The roles and relationships between education stakeholders 140

Figure 30: Schematic View of European Commission’s Digital Competence Framework for Citizens. 143

Figure 31: Schematic View of European Commission’s Digitally Competent Educational Organisations (DigCompOrg) Framework. 145

Figure 32: Schematic view of European Commission’s Digital Competence Framework for Educators 146 Figure 33: Progression model of the European Commission’s DigCompEdu 146

Figure 34: Framework for the Personal, Social & Learning to Learn Key Competence (LifeComp) 147

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Image: EU2017 Estonian Presidency

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2. Blended learning and educational change

This chapter defines blended learning in the context of the Recommendation and describes

what it can look like in school education. It describes a vision for school education from the

perspective of the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-27 and the European Education

Area: its key ideas on inclusion and on Key Competence development as part of high

quality school education. It describes how these ideas are connected to the concepts of

blended learning and innovation and change in education. It also provides a glossary and a

further explanation of relevant terms.

2.1 A history and a vision of blended learning

2.1.1 What is blended learning?

A blended learning approach can be applied in a variety of combinations, as appropriate to

the age, capacity and circumstances of the learners and intended learning outcomes.

Blended learning in formal education happens when a school, educator or learner takes

more than one approach to the learning process:

Blending school site and distance learning environments

Blending different learning tools that can be digital (including online) and non-

digital

Using their professional judgement, teachers and schools will select and facilitate the use of

these as part of engaging and effective learning tasks that support broad competence

development.

Regardless of the age of the learner, and regardless of whether the teacher and pupils are in a

shared physical space or not, the teacher is a constant and critical presence in the learning

process. They design the approach and select the blend of environments and tools; they explain

the tasks; they are active in the tasks when appropriate; and they review the learning progression

after the tasks.

Blended learning can be an approach at the micro level - in a single learning process with a

group of learners - , the meso level - a strategic approach by a school to facilitate blending

learning -, and the macro level – embedded as a system-wide approach. It may also be called a

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“hybrid” approach or a more specific term relating the environment or tool being used, such as

“online learning”.4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Supporting blended learning, whether designing and organised at system, school or classroom

level, requires more than addressing teacher and learner competence and their own use of

environments and tools. It requires a coherent approach by the whole of the school education

system encompassing: school leadership; learning design; teacher professional development and

working conditions; the collaboration between schools and the wider community; infrastructure

and resources; and quality assurance.

Blending school site and distance learning environments

Learning can be facilitated both on the school site and in other physical environments away from

the school site (distance learning). This is not a new phenomenon in education but could be

better and more systematically integrated so that all learners can benefit from its advantages,

before continuing to learn and develop throughout their lives in a rapidly-changing world.

Doing so can help to increase the inclusiveness of school education, particularly due to its

flexibility, such as better provision for education in rural and remote areas, including the

outermost regions and island communities, and other circumstances where young people may not

attend the school site full-time (traveller communities, young carers, learner’s own health issues,

high performance training, or vocational training and paid work) or where specialised teaching

staff are is not available locally. It can enhance competence development, due to the variety of

learning approaches and environments it can engage with, including the outdoors, cultural sites,

and various places of employment (work-based learning).

A blended learning approach recognises the value of school education as a collection of shared

spaces for personal and social interaction, which itself is important for learning as a way of

understanding and making meaning in the world. In a blended learning approach, shared-space

learning – whether the same physical space or online - makes the most of the opportunity for

interaction between pupils, between staff, and between pupils and staff.

4 Hall, H., & Davison, B. (2007). Social software as support in hybrid learning environments: The value of the blog as a tool for reflective learning and peer support. Library & Information Science Research, 29(2), 163–187. 5 See https://blearning-project.eu/index.php/news/18-transnational-needs-analysis-report 6 Hrastinski, S. (2019) What Do We Mean by Blended Learning? TechTrends 63, pp.564–569. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-

019-00375-5 7 Friesen, N. (2012) Report: Defining Blended Learning. Available at https://www.normfriesen.info/papers/Defining_Blended_Learning_NF.pdf 8 Bryan, A., Volchenkova, K.N. (2008). Blended Learning: Definitions, Models: Implications for Higher Education. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303815166_BLENDED_LEARNING_DEFINITION_MODELS_IMPLICATIONS_FOR_HIGHER_EDUCATION/link/5b7e368992851c1e1229270c/download (accessed: 3.06.2020) 9 Olapiriyakul, K., & Scher, J. M. (2006). A guide to establishing hybrid learning courses: Employing information technology to create a new learning experience, and a case study. The Internet and Higher Education, 9(4), 287–301. 10 Hrastinski, S. (2019) What Do We Mean by Blended Learning? TechTrends 63, pp.564–569. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00375-5

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Aside from broadening the scope of learning environments, a school that engages with

practitioners with different expertise, and that promotes collaboration with the community, can

encourage a shared responsibility for the development of young people – it is inclusive. This in

turn can help young people to understand and be motivated by the relevance of formal education

to their lives in society. It can support their broad competence development and increase their

understanding of and engagement with local and global challenges, for instance those related to

the environment and climate change.

All learning environments need to be safe and well-functioning, contributing to teachers’ and

pupils’ well-being, as well as the learning outcomes. Physical spaces for learning, whether they

are located on or off the school site, should be accessible to children with disabilities and from

socio-economically disadvantaged areas and not lead to discrimination or segregation.

Blending different learning tools that can be digital (including online) and non-digital

For the purposes of the Recommendation, online learning is defined as that which takes place

with the use of digital technology to connect different devices and to facilitate an

interaction between the learner and: other learners; learning programmes and platforms;

and other content as sources of information. When designed well and used effectively, this can

improve inclusiveness and competence development, and can personalise learning.

Online learning may take place in any physical environment where a learner can use a device to

connect to the Internet. It can support learning in different contexts, including school site and

distance learning, separately or in combination, and is therefore important in supporting blended

learning.

Digital learning tools do not always need to be connected to the Internet and can include: smart

boards and projectors for collaboration in classrooms; mobile devices and laptops with

applications for designing, exploring and sharing work; television and radio for following

recorded programmes; and Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality tools and application for

enhanced interactivity.

These can be complemented by a full variety of other learning tools (books, craft tools, analogue

scientific equipment, and sports equipment) to create a varied learning experience and access to a

range of content that can help to develop a broad range of competences.

Blending learning environments and tools within tasks

Of paramount importance to the learning design is blending environments and tools needs as

appropriate to learner age, capacity, and circumstances, and the intended learning outcomes. For

example, the decision to complement teacher-led with pupil-led tasks, and collaborative (group

or whole class) tasks with individual tasks, are important factors in the way blended learning

environments and tools can be effective for both younger and older pupils.

Blended learning has the potential to empower pupils to:

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become strong, independent and also collaborative learners and also have more

ownership of their lifelong learning, which will help support a culture of lifelong learning

in the future;

have a more personalised approach to their formal education, with extra attention and

support given to any areas that may be hindering progression;

develop creative characteristics (curiosity, imagination, perseverance, problem-solving,

critical reflection) and all Key Competences for Lifelong Learning11;

recognise their own particular talents and make links with their learning in non-formal

settings;

enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle, encouraging positive lifelong habits12;

recognise the relevance of this learning to their lives and develop a sense of agency as

active European citizens.

2.1.2 Why rethink the blend of environments and tools with established practices of school site

learning?

The vision of the European Education Area and of the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-27 is

for school education that is fully inclusive – with flexibility, access, and engagement - and of

high quality with meaningful learning experiences - that are personalised and relevant to the lives

of learners. In order to achieve this, what are the advantages of blending learning?

Blended learning is a flexible approach that can support a project or course of study to progress

whilst not requiring teachers and learners to be in the same physical space at all times. On a

practical level, this is useful for times when attending a school site is not possible, or when other

sites are more appropriate for the learning approach. It demands a careful consideration of the

learning design. It requires decisions to be made about how and when to best use the different

environments for independent study, collaborative enquiry, social interaction, and practical

application of knowledge and skills. It encourages a review of what the school site is and can be

for the learner and its community, and how school time is best utilised.

It can help to improve the inclusiveness of education, particularly due to its flexibility, if

resources and school organisation allow. For example, there can be better provision for education

in rural and remote areas, including the outermost regions and island communities, and for other

learners who may not attend the school site full time: those part of traveller communities; young

carers; those with health issues or residing in hospitals and care centres; those engaged in high-

11 Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning - 2018/C 189/01 - https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ%3AC%3A2018%3A189%3ATOC 12 As described by Commissioner Gabriel, in announcing the HealthyLifeStyle4All initiative, 23 March 2021.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/2019-2024/gabriel/announcements/opening-speech-commissioner-mariya-gabriel-erasmus-sport-info-day-2021_en

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performance training (for example young athletes or performance artists); and those in vocational

training or paid work.

“Blended Learning can raise student motivation, enthusiasm, and

overall engagement while at the same time it can improve skills

that are critical for the students’ future.” (Ministry

representative)

The periods learning on the school site can both prepare and reinforce learning in other

environments. However, these other environments do not mean that pupils are alone. Any time

that pupils spend learning together, with or without a teacher or other learning facilitator, and on

the school site or in other indoor and outdoor environments, are important for enhancing

learners’ social skills, well-being and sense of community.

Blended learning has the potential for teachers to redefine their practice using a range of tools,

including digital technology, where learners can engage in self-directed learning around issues

that are meaningful to them. This embraces the contemporary educational perspective that

students are not merely passive receivers of information and the teacher is not the only

facilitator. Tools that facilitate greater student autonomy in the learning process can stimulate

and support student agency (sense of own competence), personalised learning, and intrinsic

motivation. Where relevant tools are used, it can also support the development of digital

competence13.

13 As set out in the 2018 Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2018.189.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ:C:2018:189:TOC

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Figure 1: Examples of designing for learning in new ways with environments, tools and tasks

Ultimately blended learning has the potential to transform educational experiences for young

people14 by allowing learners to take more responsibility for their own learning before and after

a live classroom session. Blended learning is a way to move towards a competency-based

approach where the learner is in the centre15. For teachers, blended learning allows for valuing

all learners, differentiating and personalising teaching.

The ability to support learners with specific needs through blended learning was already evident

before the COVID-19 pandemic16. However, lasting and widespread change or transformation

will require a collaborative approach, where policy makers, curriculum designers, education

researchers, teacher educators, teachers, and pupils themselves engage constructively in

developing new understandings and designs for how teaching and learning can better serve the

needs of all learners.

Blended learning has been mostly used in tertiary education and business training, as well as

some schools in remote areas17. However, it can also be effectively implemented in mainstream

14 Terada, Y. (2020) A Powerful Model for Understanding Good Tech Integration. Available at https://www.edutopia.org/article/powerful-model-understanding-good-tech-integration 15 iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED561318.pdf 16 See Hughes, G. (2007) Using blended learning to increase learner support and improve retention. Accessed at https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10002022/1/Hughes2007Using351.pdf Also : Rivera, J.H., (2016) The Blended Learning Environment: A Viable Alternative for Special Needs Students, Journal of Education and Training Studies Vol. 5, No. 2; February 2017 Published by Redfame Publishing URL: http://jets.redfame.com. Accessed at : https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1125804.pdf Also: UNESCO (2016) Learning for All: guidelines on the inclusion of learners with disabilities in open and distance learning. Paris: UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000244355 17 Bacsich, P. (2012) Virtual schools and colleges providing alternatives for successful learning volume 1. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339537812_VIRTUAL_SCHOOLS_AND_COLLEGES_PROVIDING_ALTERNATIVES_FOR_SUCCESSFUL_LEARNING_VOLUME_1

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school education if a number of factors are taken into consideration.18 It is important that the

strategy of the school and the design by the teachers as professionals is based on what is best for

the learner; that there is clear understanding of and rationale for the embedding of different

learning environments and tools; and that the learning process is carefully planned, created and

monitored with feedback to inform future learning design and school development.19

2.1.3 What is the history of blended learning?

There is a long history of the blending of different environments and tools in education. This is

linked partly to the development of tools for communication, but also cultural shifts in who is

given responsibility for education and ideas about how learning should ideally happen.

Over the centuries, those designated the role of “teacher” have included: philosophers; military

leaders; sports and intellectual pursuits trainers (in “gymnasiums”); those in religious orders,

using part of the religious buildings as a “school”; educated individuals teaching the children of

wealthy families in their large homes; skilled workers taking on young apprentices; and, latterly,

graduates with a teaching qualification working in a building specifically constructed for the

purpose of educating all young children in the local area.

Distance learning - learning away from the school building(s) - has a long history and cannot be

classified as “new”, even though it still may not yet be considered mainstream or integrated in a

coherent or strategic way into school education. Classic examples where the pupil is physically

remote from the teacher or institution range from correspondence courses in the 19th century, to

Australian School of the Air, and to an array of radio and television programmes for young

learners, which were – and are - designed to be watched together at school as well as remotely.

Here school education has clearly taken advantage of advancements in telecommunication and

today, with the Internet, there is the possibility to go further with such learning approaches.

Distance learning where the pupil is physically remote from the school site but may still interact

with a teacher or mentor. This can include swimming lessons or other sports instruction and field

trips (one day, one week), and work-based learning, which are all well-established in school

education. Online learning has a more recent history and, like full distance learning courses, has

been more firmly established in higher education and adult learning before being introduced into

school education.20

18 Review on Blended Learning: Identifying the Key Themes and Categories: http://www.ijiet.org/vol7/952-ER0019.pdf 19 Expressed by the Distance Learning Network: School education in its discussion on Blended Learning, 10 June 2020 20 Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T., & Bond, A. (2020). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. Educause Review, 27. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning

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Figure 2: Timeline of distance learning in school education 21

The integration of different learning tools is also not new. The integration of books can be traced

back to the invention of the printing press in 1436 and the more recent shift from blackboard, to

whiteboard, to interactive smartboard is also well documented.22

There is a lack of research evidence of schools or systems which have an established and full-

embedded approach to blended learning as it is described here, although what exists has explored

instructional design, teacher and pupil interaction, learning outcomes, attitudes, and the use of

technology.23 Nevertheless, plentiful evidence can be usefully found regarding the separate

elements, such as on effective practice in:

- Modifying learning environments inside and outside school classrooms;

- Vocational education and training and work-based learning (including extra-

curricular placements and volunteering);

- Using digital tools to personalise learning and access information in different ways

(including virtual reality and game-based learning);

- Project-based learning (which is typically more pupil-led, in small groups or

asynchronous);

- Alternative education provision (home schooling, hospital schools, rural and remote

including the outermost regions and island communities, settings);

- Higher Education.

21 Infographic source: E-learning Infographics.com. Available at https://elearninginfographics.com/history-of-distance-education-infographic/ 22 Marshall, S. (2020) Blended learning: a long-term shift in pedagogy. Blog for Higher Education Policy Institute. Available at https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2020/11/04/blended-learning-a-long-term-shift-in-pedagogy/ 23 See https://flexible.learning.ubc.ca/research-evidence/research-articles-2/blended-learning/

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The existing research evidence on blended learning and its separate elements is explored

further in Chapter 3.

Evidence specifically from school education is emerging and is likely to expand rapidly

following the experiences during school restrictions, which will be invaluable to the field.

There is no clear evidence on “how much” of any particular learning environment is beneficial,

and the complexity of the learning process and contexts means that there can be no “one size fits

all” ideal. However, more deficits may exist in either solely distance or school site education

compared with blended learning, which combines both approaches.24

2.1.4 How many varieties of approaches can a blended learning approach

integrate?

Variations in learning design are potentially infinite. This should be seen as a positive for the

ability to design for all learners, rather than a cause for concern. 25 The concept of blended

learning supports the adaptation of the learning design for different groups of learners with

different needs.

Whilst a “curriculum” – whether based on traditional subject domains or on competences

developed across subjects – can be a singular reference point for all schools and teachers within a

system, the learning tools and environments can be embedded and combined in different ways as

best fits the needs of the learners.

When designing a blended learning approach for courses of study, the approach selected by a

whole school, subject department, or individual class teacher may have a number of different

characteristics.26 It will depend on factors such as: the age of students and their capacity to work

in and with the selected environments and tools; the curriculum content and goals; the

availability of appropriate infrastructure (for example, computers, connections, places to study)

as well as competences of teachers; and the schools’ own culture in terms of their attitudes

towards different learning tasks (how learning takes place, including assessment).

The extent of time spent in distance learning and in on-site schooling, will vary depending on the

extent of student autonomy and teacher- or other mentor-led activities. Whilst this can be strictly

defined – as it has been during pandemic restrictions – schools may also be given free choice in

terms of this variable.

24 Yu, Zhonggen. (2015). Blended Learning Over Two Decades. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education. 11. 1-19. 10.4018/IJICTE.2015070101. 25 Garrison and Kanuka 2004 makes this point, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222863721_Blended_Learning_Uncovering_Its_Transformative_Potential_in_Higher_Education 26 Staker, H., & Horn, M. B. (2012). Classifying K-12 blended learning. Innosight Institute.

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Figure 3: Elements of a flipped classroom approach 27

In what is more commonly known as a “flipped classroom”, pupils may acquire preliminary

knowledge at home or remotely – for example, via books or online research - and teachers

use school lesson time to facilitate the application of that in practice.28 This approach may

be taken whenever appropriate in a course of study and relies on all pupils having adequate

opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in both environments.29 The particular feature

of “flipped” is that learning happens before, and potentially after, the lesson (classroom)

application.

Blended learning invites a consideration of a learning process that extends both before and

after a structured learning event, or “lesson”. It can allow time in the live event for

discussion and working with learners who need extra help; time being a precious commodity

in education. As described above, it can also encourage the learner to take ownership of the

whole process, albeit collaborating with others (teacher, peer, parent, and support staff) at

different stages. It potentially reduces the likelihood that teacher-pupil knowledge transfer

will dominate the learning process and establishes the “before” and “after” stages as being

equally balanced according to learner input. It may be assumed that the more the learner is

required to take ownership of the process, the more “relevant” the learning can seem to the

learner, and thus the more they are likely to be motivated in their learning.

27 Based on original graphic designed by K. Walsh, College of Westchester, NY and Flipped Learning Network. See http://www.flippedclassroomworkshop.com/ and https://flippedlearning.org/ 28 See https://www.blendedlearning.org/models/#flip 29 During school closure and partial re-opening, this approach was encouraged by the Belgium ministries of education: using distance learning as “pre-learning” in order to make best use of limited classroom time.

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Figure 4: Blended learning as a process including before and after learning events30

A blended approach may also be described along a spectrum of less-to-more time spent

learning at distance compared to on the school site.

For learners that are able to learn more independently (depending on their age, confidence

and competence), some time - hours, days, weeks - can be spent learning at distance. The

role of teacher is then to provide support, feedback and instruction on a needs basis while

students work through course curriculum and content. This gives students a high degree of

control over their learning and supports their self-directed and goal-oriented learning. This

may include taking elective courses provided by other schools, or internships in the

workplace, that are of particular interest to the student and can be included in a flexible

schedule “a la carte”. For the teacher and the school staff as a whole, it is important to

consider how the monitoring and structuring of the learning process can be effectively

provided whilst avoiding increased teacher workload or that certain learners miss out on

vital additional support.

There may be more rare situations where the majority of learning takes place at distance, and

pupils only attend school for occasional group or individual sessions with a subject teacher

or learning mentor (across different curriculum areas). This does not require daily school

attendance and may be useful for: students who, for instance, due to illness or professional

contracts cannot attend school every day, or when their home is very remote from the school

site; and when schools cannot have all students in their premises at the same time..

30 Based on Liu et al (2017) Cloud-class Blended Learning Pattern Innovation and Its Applications, Proceedings of the 2017 International Symposium on Educational Technology, Hong Kong. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318099730_2017_International_Symposium_on_Educational_Technology_ISET_2017

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The opportunity to have this flexibility will depend on the capacity of the learner to work

independently and with the appropriate support from another. It may be assumed that

younger learners need more support but this is not always the case as many factors

contribute to the capacity of learners to thrive in different environments and with different

tools.

Figure 5: Blended learning approach as a spectrum of situations and opportunities

2.2 Key Competence development and blended learning

The Council Recommendation on the Key Competences for Lifelong Learning31 describes the

eight competences (each comprising knowledge, skills and attitudes) needed by everyone for

personal fulfilment and development, employability, social inclusion and active citizenship.

The Key Competences are: literacy; multilingual; mathematical and science; digital; personal,

social and learning to learn; citizenship; entrepreneurship; and cultural awareness and

expression.

The framework integrates a view of education as a continual, lifelong-process with high-quality

education and training on an on-going basis. Likewise it encourages a variety of learning

approaches and contexts for continual learning through diverse experiences. This includes

finding the most appropriate way to assess and validate competences.

31 Full text of the Recommendation: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2018.189.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ:C:2018:189:TOC

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Figure 6: The eight Key Competences for Lifelong Learning

Competence-oriented education focuses on the outcomes of learning processes, as well as on the

fact that learning happens in a diverse range of contexts. Competence-oriented education is

regarded as advantageous in a time when the knowledge base of our societies is developing at an

immense speed, and the skills required need to be transferred to, and developed in many different

societal contexts. A blended learning approach encourages a step further towards learning

experiences in environments and with different tools that are believed to support broad

competence development.

There is a strong connection between the pedagogical and organisational principles associated

with competence-based education32 and a blended learning approach:

It requires a flexible approach to teaching and learning that moves away from the

concept of the educator as the single 'knowledge authority' and allows the use of a variety

of learning approaches to scaffold the progression and growing independence of each

learner – of any age - according to their strengths, needs and interests;

In order to support the capacity of “learning to learn” which underpins the lifelong

development of all competences, learners need to have an active and equal role in the

creation of the learning process. This calls for more participatory methods in learning,

where the learner is active in a task rather than passively receiving information, and may

even be involved themselves in decision-making on the learning content, approaches and

organisation;

32 See section 5.5. (Learning environments and approaches) of the Key Competences for Lifelong Learning: Staff Working Document (2018) Available at https://ec.europa.eu/education/education-in-the-eu/council-recommendation-on-key-competences-for-lifelong-learning_en

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Diversity of learner needs should be matched by differentiated learning support

systems, to provide targeted and individualised learning when necessary;

Learning is a social event and often organised in groups where learners are dependent

on each other and learn with or from each other. The nature of competences also means

that attitudes – often socially-constructed – are being developed alongside knowledge and

skills. In order to support competence development, learning environments need to be

safe and respectful, with a concern for the well-being of all educators and learners.

Online learning and the use of connected digital devices, in particular, may need close

monitoring to ensure the safe engagement by young people. This social and often

collaborative nature of learning also presents an added challenge or complexity to the

assessment of individual learner progression, meaning that the ability of a learner to self-

reflect as part of team work is even more crucial;

Inquiry-based and project-based learning can support competence development by

setting up an open inquiry based on a problem. The learner is then required to draw on a

broad range of knowledge, skills and attitudes, and follow a cyclical process of design,

creation, reflection, and adaptation, complementing this with the input of other

individuals. This approach is also well-suited to blended learning where learners embark

on a longer process of discovery, drawing on a rich mix of experiences and environments.

Collaboration inside the school settings, as well as outside with a variety of partners

is essential for quality competence development. Collaborative and cross-discipline

teaching and learning within learning settings, for example through projects, team

teaching and learner-led activities, improves engagement and learning outcomes in a

range of competences. This calls for a more distributed leadership33 and management

where education and non-education staff, learners and others are more involved in the

learning process and may propose, coordinate or lead activities and projects. This

approach not only requires different education, training and learning settings to network

and create partnerships with each other but also establish cross-sectoral cooperation with

external actors such as business, arts, sport and youth community, higher education or

research institutes34. Such broad partnerships and networks can provide rich learning

environments, but need to be built through a long-term strategy based on trust and

common objectives.

Taking these points into consideration, the key competence of “Personal, Social and Learning to

learn” itself is important to support the development of all other competences and even more so

33 Distributed leadership in schools aims to better share tasks and responsibilities across the entire school community, encouraging teachers, non-teaching staff, learners or other stakeholders to take on leading roles in a particular area of expertise, assume responsibility and take initiatives as individuals or groups. It promotes teamwork, multi-disciplinarity and professional collaboration and enhances a variety of competences in all participants. 34 European Commission, 2015, Science Education for Responsible Citizenship, Report of the expert group on science education

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within a blended learning approach. The development of this key competence is required from an

early age.

The Key Competence “Personal, Social and Learning to Learn” is described further in

Chapter 3 and the detailed competence framework is presented in Chapter 4.

Blended learning prompts a review of national and school curricula because the expectations set

down for learner competences can have a direct impact on the design of the learning process,

including assessment35 and vice versa.

“Consideration should be given to the role that blended learning

– both at school and in distance settings – and the use of both

digital and non-digital [tools] can play in delivering better

education al outcomes … Curricula should meet the individual

needs of learners … equipping them with the breadth of skills …

such as creativity, collaboration and problem-solving, which are

critical for children to succeed in the 21st century.” (A European

education foundation)

2.3 A blended learning approach by schools as part of the wider

learning community and education system

2.3.1 Whole School Approach

A blended learning approach, combining school site and distance learning environments and a

variety of tools, should involve a close collaboration between a wide range of cross-sectoral

stakeholders and the community at large.36 This is aligned with the established concept of a

’Whole School Approach’37 that enables schools to respond adequately to new and complex

challenges and will help move from isolated examples of effective practice by individual

teachers or teams of teachers to continuous, and sustained, change across the school as a whole.

Effective blended education requires a shared and well-communicated long-term vision of the

objectives of the blended approach. Coherence with broader school strategies is also needed,for

35 This paradigm shift is explored in detail by Fullan, M., Quinn, J., Drummy, M., Gardner, M. (2020), “Education Reimagined; The Future of Learning”. A collaborative position paper between New Pedagogies for Deep Learning and Microsoft Education. http://aka.ms/HybridLearningPaper 36 See the European Toolkit for Schools https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools/area.cfm?a=5 37 See European Commission (2015) A whole school approach to tackling early school leaving, https://ec.europa.eu/assets/eac/education/experts-groups/2014-2015/school/early-leaving-policy_en.pdf

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example, alignment with the overall mission statement of the school, its digital learning strategy,

and its well-being actions).

As an example, the European Framework for Digitally Competent Educational Organisations

takes a whole-institution approach to learning support by technology and could also be equally

applicable to the design of a broader blended learning approach. The Framework considers that

effective digital learning strategies requires action in the following areas:

Leadership & school governance practices;

Teaching and learning, reflecting on the roles of staff and pedagogical approaches,

including revisiting where and when learning takes place;

Professional development;

Assessment approaches;

Curricula content;

Collaboration and Networking;

Infrastructure.

See Chapter 4 for more on the European Competence Frameworks

A more recent model from the Embed Erasmus+ project38, developed for higher education but

also applicable for the school sector, sets out eight areas which could be considered for an

institution to develop a blended education strategy: institutional support; strategies; sharing and

communities; professional development, quality assurance; governance; finances and facilities

(see Figure below).

For each of these areas three levels of ‘maturity’ are detailed. For example, regarding

professional development an ‘ad hoc’ level is where only a small number of workshops are

offered to teaching staff, whereas at a ’strategic level‘ all staff are systematically provided

training in blended learning design and facilitation. A wide portfolio of courses are made

available and teachers are recognised for their professional development activities.

38 Emded Erasmus+ project. For more see the website https://embed.eadtu.eu/#:~:text=EMBED%20will%20create%20a%20reference,strategies%20making%20the%20institution%20continuously

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Figure 7: Eight areas for institutions to consider when developing a blended learning strategy

2.3.2 Schools as Learning Organisations

For the school, adopting a blended learning approach requires a strategic approach to teaching

and learning integrating various factors: learning environments (home, online, school,

workplace, other), competence development process (lifelong learning and professional);

affective domain (motivation, satisfaction, discouragement, frustration), and people (learners,

teachers, parents, and other staff).39 For this reason, it is important to consider blended learning

within the ongoing development of the whole school and all of its associated stakeholders.

The concept of “schools as learning organisations” – developed by the ET2020 Working

Group Schools on the basis of OECD research - is a useful frame of reference that can help

schools and systems plan for and manage innovation and change. This is the concept of a school

community that encourages and enables teachers and school leaders to improve both their

pedagogical and their organisational practices concurrently through local collaborative research,

networking and continued professional development. Developing the capacity and role of

teachers and school leaders is essential for schools to provide a clear strategic vision and

leadership that guides and fully supports teaching and learning, and which enables effective

communication with other practitioners and stakeholders. Such schools do not exist in isolation;

they are linked and embedded within a learning system where decision-makers can learn from

the developments that are taking place in and around schools.40

39 Yu, Zhonggen. (2015). Blended Learning Over Two Decades. International Journal of Information and Communication Technology Education. 11. 1-19. 10.4018/IJICTE.2015070101. 40 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/downloads/Governance/2018-wgs1-governance-school_en.pdf

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Figure 8: The school as a learning organisation, as developed by the ET2020 Working Group

Schools41

2.3.3 System organisation and feedback loops

Improving the access to and experiences of learning, including well-being, and the broad

competence development of all learners, should be the central pursuit of school education

policies. Therefore, it is prudent to examine what is needed at school level and, at the same time,

the conditions that can be created by national policies.

Systems will need to reflect on their current standards, procedures and regulations and amend

these, where required, to better meet the needs of all stakeholders within the system. The

Recommendation acknowledges that effective blended learning, even in individual institutions,

requires a flexibility or significant fundamental change across the education system and its

support mechanisms (legislation and frameworks, resources, professional development, quality

assurance).

The governance of school education

Understanding school education as a learning system directly responds to the challenges of

complexity and improvement as it is based on collaboration and communication between

41 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/governance-of-school-edu.htm

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horizontal and vertical connections. Horizontal connections may be between regions, between

schools, or between a school and the wider community. They may be based on formal or more

informal arrangements. Vertical connections are often hierarchical, such as between a school and

the inspectorate. There are degrees of authority in these relationships, the level of which can

influence how the work is initiated and carried out.

Strengthening and exploiting these connections helps to organise collective intelligence in order

to understand and act upon what is - and what needs to be - happening in different parts of the

system. Networks and feedback loops are particularly important mechanisms for this. A learning

system promotes a long-term step-by-step approach to school education development, with

piloting, reflection and feedback, in order to ensure the sustainability and legacy of education

policies.42 In a similar way, a system approach to blended learning can be understood at three

levels: the macro (national or regional), meso (school strategy or programmes of study) and

micro (teacher learning design):

Figure 9: Three levels of design and implementation of a blended learning approach

Evidence and feedback to support change

A whole-school approach to blended learning also needs to be grounded in evidence. It is

essential to gather, analyse, interpret and use a range of qualitative and quantitative data to create

a holistic picture of school and student readiness for blended learning and proceed to develop

clear strategies on this basis.

School leaders have a key role to play in raising awareness, motivating and involving all staff as

well as the school’s parents and students in developing a shared vision for blended learning. The

role of parents, especially for supporting primary school pupils, cannot be underestimated. Broad

stakeholder engagement can promote transparency, trust, shared responsibility and ongoing

reflection on how to improve on a continuous basis. Policy makers can also play a key role in

promoting collaboration within and between schools on blended learning. Schools may also

42 For more on the concept of school education as a learning system, see the ET2020 Working Group report on “European ideas

for better learning: the governance of school education systems”. Available at https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/governance-of-school-edu.htm

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build bridges with wider communities including researchers to support school-level blended

learning and to develop their capacity to work systematically with quantitative and qualitative

data.

Figure 10: Eight steps to successful change 43

School self-evaluation has emerged as a key mechanism to support whole approaches to change

and innovation. With a strongly-held belief in Europe that school autonomy leads to increased

quality44, schools may have greater responsibility for student outcomes, and more latitude to

tailor responses appropriate for the school’s own context. School self-evaluation and the

diagnosis of school needs, insight and understanding followed by action for improvement and

review can be effective in implementing a blended learning approach.

School self-evaluation has been shown to lead to greater sensitivity about areas in need of

improvement.45 It is found to lead to more frequent and open consultation about the quality of

education and more classroom visits by the school leader. The process of school self-evaluation

allows teachers to develop a perspective beyond their own classroom, particularly when they are

involved in decision-making. In addition, policy makers can also provide various tools,

guidelines and approaches, adapted to local contexts and needs, which can support schools in

their self-evaluation and organisational development. Human and financial resources and time

also needed to be made to conduct effective school strategies for blended learning.

To support schools in gathering evidence and designing a blended education strategy, the free

online SELFIE self-reflection tool could be of direct use. SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective

Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational Technologies) was developed by the

43 Source: www.kotterinc.com/8-steps-process-for-leading-change/ 44 da Cruz Martins, S., Albuquerque, A., and Capucha, L. (2019) “School autonomy and administration. Configurations and processes in Europe” in School Autonomy, Organization and Performance in Europe, ed. da Cruz Martins et al, Lisbon: CIES – Iscte (Centre for Research and Studies in Sociology) 45 European Commission (2020) Supporting school self-evaluation and development through quality assurance policies: key considerations for policy makers. Report of the ET2020 Working Group Schools. Available at https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/a08583f0-c18f-11ea-b3a4-01aa75ed71a1/language-en

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European Commission in cooperation with education authorities and other experts and was tested

extensively with schools prior to launch in 2018. The tool – which has now been used by over

one million students and staff in 74 countries - is designed to help schools embed digital

technology into teaching, learning and student assessment, with a focus on learning and

pedagogy rather than technology per se.

More information on the SELFIE tool for schools and teachers is given in Chapter 4

2.4 Teachers and school leaders: moving to a blended learning

approach

The Recommendation – and the research evidence it is based on – recognises that combining

effective school site teaching and facilitating flexible distance learning46 for all pupils in a way

that functions as a coherent pedagogical approach47 requires a high level of competence of

teachers and school leaders. This needs to be coupled with clear guidance, some degree of

autonomy, and sufficient time and other resources to create an appropriate learning design in

advance.

The Recommendation does not intend to instruct how schools must organise teaching and

learning, nor how all teachers must facilitate the learning process. Given the diversity of

circumstances surrounding school education, it is not possible to construct a “one size fits all”

approach. However, there are principles that can be understood and generally applied within a

blended learning approach.

Key role as designers and change agents

Teachers and school leaders have a key role as change agents at school, local and regional, or

national level.

The prior experience and current competence (knowledge, skills and attitudes) of the teacher will

have a significant impact on the effectiveness of their own individual, their school’s, or their

system’s approach to blended learning not least because of their empathy for the learners,

colleagues and other members of the local community. This aligns with the understanding that

teachers are not merely passive facilitators of learning, rigidly following a prescribed curriculum,

but are designers, constantly adapting their own approach based on the needs of others – some

with a strong capacity for more provocative change and innovation.

46 Stein, J., & Graham, C. R. (2014). Essentials for blended learning: a standards-based guide. New York: Routledge. 47 Krasnova T. A Paradigm Shift: Blended Learning Integration in Russian Higher Education. Procedia – Social and Behavioral

Sciences, 2015, no. 166, pp. 399–403. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042814066816

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Enabling school change requires strong leadership by school leaders and school heads who are

informed about, willing, and able to co-construct an appropriate strategy, which may include the

integration of technology.

Conditions for change

Encouraging teachers and schools leaders to be change agents requires a level of autonomy for

schools to make some of their own decisions about their strategy for a blended learning

approach. Not every situation or opportunity can be predicted or planned years in advance; hence

schools and their staff need some liberty with guidance to act as they see appropriate for their

learners in any given context.

It also supposes some autonomy in learning design and curriculum content, if the kind of

principles outlined above (see 2.2 About Key Competence Development) are to be realised in

practice.

Teachers and school leaders as change agents must also possess a “sense of agency”. In other

words, they must have the motivation and confidence (“efficacy”) in themselves, the

competence, and know that they have the capacity (freedom bestowed by others) to act.

Implications for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and Continued Professional Development

(CPD)

Within a move for change must be a recognition of teachers as individuals and supporting them

to adapt to various situations and to deal with the challenges that they encounter.

Naturally, teacher professional development opportunities (courses, network discussions,

projects, mentored reflections, self-assessment tools) need to be adapted with both the design

principles of a blended learning approach and individual teacher needs in mind.

Initial Teacher Education is a crucial phase to consider as each yearly intake of teachers need to

be prepared for adapting their practice in any number of ways. Like digital education, designing

for a blended learning approach (blending different environments and tools with tasks) should

not be a separate idea or module in teacher professional development. It should be embedded in

any reflection on learning design – and therefore should be a part of both Initial and Continued

Professional Development.

If a blended learning approach is seen as a useful approach in a state of emergency, teacher

professional development – as well as school development plans – may also usefully include

some element of preparing alternative approaches in times of need.

The role and work of teachers and school leaders is discussed in more detail in Chapter 3.

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2.5 Learners and blended learning

The main focus of any learning process is the learner and therefore, when designing within

a blended learning approach, their needs, their expectations, their backgrounds and special

characteristics should be identified and considered carefully.48

“Scaffolding” learning

Blended learning, by diversifying the environments and tools, can alter the relationship between

teachers and pupils – and between pupils and the learning content – if the appropriate learning

tasks require that the teacher is not always giving direct supervision. Such a deliberate shift can

give learners more control over the time, place, path, and pace of the process.

It can create new learning experiences that are flexible and personalized, customized to the needs

and the circumstances of the individual learner or groups of learners.

However, this is not to say that the teacher is completely absent from the learning process. This

is a misinterpretation of the concept. Regardless of the age of the learner, and regardless of

whether the teacher and pupils are in a shared physical space or not, the teacher is a constant and

critical presence in the learning process. They design the approach and select the blend of

environments and tools; they explain the tasks; they are active in the tasks when appropriate; and

they review the learning progression after the tasks. Understanding what the learner can do with

and without assistance from others is the essence of Vygotsky’s “Zone of Proximal

Development”49 and the “scaffolding” described by Bruner50 whereby there is a “role played by

the teacher, parent or more experienced peer in providing … support.”51

One claim is that learning without constant close supervision (for instance with some online or

distance learning) may be more suitable for older students and adults, where learners have more

control over time, place, path, and/or pace52, however, younger pupils and those needing

additional learning support may struggle to learn independently. This may seem obvious: with

experience and higher levels of competence, one assumes the learner can manage their own

progress. However, there are many more factors that influence learning, some of which are

described by pupils themselves in the student consultation conducted in 2021 (see Chapter 3).

48 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09687760500479787 Also: https://amberhartwell.wordpress.com/2015/12/02/important-k-12-distance-learner-characteristics/ Also: https://educationaltechnologyjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41239-017-0043-4 49 Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in Society, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press 50 Bruner, J. (1990) Acts of Meaning, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press 51 Ewing, R. (2016) Dramatic Play and Process Drama: Towards a Collective Zone of Proximal Development to Enhance Language and Literacy Learning. In Dramatic Interactions in Education: Vygotskian and Sociocultural Approaches to Drama, Education and Research, ed. Davis et al, London: Bloomsbury 52 Staker H., Horn M.B. Classifying K-12 Blended Learning. Available at: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/wp-

content/uploads/2013/04/Classifying-K-12-blended-learning.pdf

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Indeed, the challenge of and antagonism between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in teenagers

is well-known and researched.53 Therefore, assumptions about age and capacity to achieve

defined learning outcomes should be treated with caution given that a 10-year-old boy may be

more motivated to complete a learning task than a 15-year-old girl depending on their personal

circumstances.

Designing learning requires serious consideration of the necessary support for learners who

require additional assistance: those with special education needs and those whose personal

circumstances may have a negative impact on learning outcomes if the learning is to take place

in a different environment or with different tools.

There are specific needs relating to the learning task and overall learning process, including:

- Working both with peers and independently when necessary with a sense of agency

(confident that one has the competence and freedom to act);

- Managing the learning process for oneself or on behalf of others;

- Communicating ideas and asking for assistance when needed, either in person or via

communication tools;

- Trusting and collaborating with others in the wider school community, for example

cultural sector professionals or work-place mentors;

- Carrying a sense of learning and development across a number of different

occasions, recognising how one has developed and where to progress next.

A core idea of the Whole School Approach (see 2.3.1 above) is that learners - like any

stakeholder group in education - do not exist in isolation; they are shaped by social interactions

with the people around them. Therefore, just as important to designing learning for the individual

learner is reflecting upon the needs and influences of their peers, teachers and school leaders,

parents, other learning facilitators inside and outside of the school, and any other supportive

person.

Specific needs relating to environments and tools

Aside from the learner needs described above, there are those specifically related to

environments and tools within a blended learning approach, including:

gradually building an appropriate level of familiarity and competence with chosen

environments and tools as part of the learning strategy;

appropriate levels supervision or support in the distance environment, depending on the

pupil and the task;

access to appropriate tools for the task, including digital devices;

53 Çelçima, D. (2017) Adolescents and the challenges in their motivation, European Journal of Social Sciences, Education and

Research, 4 (2), pp96-105

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a safe and secure online experience for pupils of all ages when connecting with digital

devices.

Empowering learners to actively participate in their learning process has been defined as an

understanding that digitally competent teachers develop – or need to develop54. Ensuring access

to digital resources and learning activities for all students, using digital technologies to address

diverse learning needs and capabilities, using digital technologies to foster learners’ active and

creative engagement in their learning and using digital resources and tools, online learning

environments and platforms to ensure students' learning within and beyond the classroom, are

essential elements that can facilitate the development of a blended learning approach.

The digital competence of teachers and learners is discussed further in Chapter 3.

Learner well-being

The pandemic increased a long-standing concern for the physical, mental and emotional well-

being of young people, not merely their progression through the statutory school curriculum. All

young people should be supported to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle, encouraging positive

lifelong habits, and have the opportunity to participate in a range of sports and other physical

activities, which enhance motor skills and boost mental and emotional well-being. Young people

also need support for their mental and emotional well-being during learning, including learning

tasks under increased pressure, understanding safe and responsible online behaviour. Support is

also needed for those learners who spend extended periods of time away from peer or school

staff support.

Benefits of blending environments for the learner

Different learning environments can give access to facilitators with different expertise, to tools

that are not available on the school site, and to cultural spaces not normally encountered by

learners in their daily lives. These environments and tools take on new meaning or interest to the

learner simply because of being outside of the school and inside another societal space.

Different learning environments might be needed in emergencies, such as public health crises or

natural disasters, but a more structured and planned-for approach has the potential to

be a viable alternative in other situations where learners cannot access education and training

buildings (for example, to reach geographically isolated regions, to support students with long-

term illness, to supplement teaching or fill curriculum gaps).

The potential for inclusiveness via blended learning and the reality during the COVID-19

pandemic left systems with a paradox. Entire groups of learners, including those from rural

remote areas, including the outermost regions and island communities, migrant and refugee

54 SELFIE for Teachers https://digcompedu.jrc.es

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children and other learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, risked being excluded from

“scaffolded” learning. An analysis of the open public consultation on the Digital Education

Action Plan55 confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic deepened already existing inequalities in

terms of disadvantaged groups and minorities having access to tools (both devices and Internet

connectivity), as well as learners with special educational needs lacking the individual support

they might usually receive from the school.

Nevertheless, there are certain groups of learners from mobile communities, such as Roma,

Gypsy and other Traveller communities, whose attendance on the school site and access to

structured learning can be interrupted. Carefully designed distance or blended learning

programmes could improve these young people’s educational experience

and attainment and increase future educational opportunities for them and their other family

members.56 Blended learning has also been found to be an effective approach to address the

learning challenges in students with special needs and a promising intervention to enhance

learning of students with disabilities.57

Figure 11: Learning and cultural identity transcends different environments

55 https://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/education/files/document-library-docs/deap-swd-sept2020_en.pdf 56 https://www.step.education.ed.ac.uk/ 57 See Hughes, G. (2007) Using blended learning to increase learner support and improve retention. Available at https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10002022/1/Hughes2007Using351.pdf See also Rivera, J.H., (2016) The Blended Learning Environment: A Viable Alternative for Special Needs Students, Journal of Education and Training Studies Vol. 5, No. 2; February 2017 Published by Redfame http://jets.redfame.com. Available at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1125804.pdf See also UNESCO (2016). Learning for All: guidelines on the inclusion of learners with disabilities in open and distance learning. Paris: UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000244355

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2.6 Glossary of terms

The terminology and descriptions hereunder are given for the purposes of the Council

Recommendation and this document. Many of the terms have been discussed and agreed by

national representatives and are used in European Commission publications. It is accepted that

they may vary across other publications and in other contexts.

Beginning teacher Early career teacher who carries out wholly or partially the

tasks incumbent on experienced teachers, and are remunerated

for their activity. Normally this period includes training and

evaluation, and a mentor providing personal, social and

professional support is appointed to help new teachers within a

structured system. Depending on whether the teacher has

already achieved their formal qualification, the phase can last at

least several months up to two years.

Blended learning This is the design and facilitating of learning both on the school

site and in other physical environments away from the school

site (distance learning) and the use of different learning tools

(digital, which can be online, and non-digital). It can be an

approach at the micro level - in a single learning process with a

group of learners - , the meso level - a strategic approach by a

school to facilitate blending learning -, and the macro level –

embedded as a system-wide approach.

Collaborative learning When learning is collaborative it involves interaction between

learners – either facilitate or not by a teacher - where the

members of the group are helping each other to progress in the

task as well as themselves.

Competence (Key

Competence)

Competences are defined as a combination of knowledge, skills

and attitudes, where:

knowledge is composed of the facts and figures,

concepts, ideas and theories which are already

established and support the understanding of a certain

area or subject;

skills are defined as the ability and capacity to carry out

processes and use the existing knowledge to achieve

results;

attitudes describe the disposition and mind-sets to act or

react to ideas, persons or situations.

There are eight Key Competences for Lifelong Learning.

Continued Professional (also Continuing or Continuous) This is the learning that

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Development (CPD) education professionals (teachers, school leaders and other

education staff) engage in at any stage of their career to

enhance their pedagogical and organisational practice.

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus

pandemic, is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019

(COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome

coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), first identified in December

2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization

declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of

International Concern in January 2020 and a pandemic in

March 2020.58

Digital technology A digital device, method, or system, created by using scientific

and engineering knowledge.

The application of this knowledge for practical ends, as in

digital communications and social media.

Digital tool A digital device used for a particular purpose or learning

outcome.

Disadvantaged learners Those whose family, personal, social, or economic

circumstances hinder their ability to learn in formal and non-

formal settings.

Distance learning Where the learner is not on the school site/campus.

e-Learning Learning that is facilitated electronically. This term is typically

interchangeable with online learning (see below).

Formal, non-formal and

informal education

Formal education is intentional, organised and structured. It is

usually provided in schools, colleges, universities and other

formal education and training institutions, and leads to

recognised diplomas and qualifications.

Non-formal education takes place through planned activities (in

terms of learning objectives and learning time) where some

form of learning support is present, but which is not part of the

formal education and training system.

Informal education results from daily activities related to work,

family or leisure which is not organised or structured in terms

of objectives, time or learning support.

Independent or individual

learning

When learning is independent or individual, it can happen at

any time and the learner is acting independently of the teacher

or other learners. They are not necessarily lacking interaction as

there may be some form of communication, for example to

58 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic

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clarify or respond to part of the task verbally or via text.

Initial Teacher Education

(ITE)

A period of formal study in order to gain a recognised

qualification and be employed as a teacher. This is typically

offered by education departments in universities or independent

teacher education institutions.

Learning design The theory and practice of designing, developing, using,

managing and evaluating processes and resources for learning.

The instructional design process goes beyond simply creating

teaching and learning materials and it is based on carefully

analysing how students learn and what content, methods and

tools will most effectively help them achieve a specific set of

learning outcomes. It consists of determining the needs of the

learners, defining the learning outcomes and objectives of

instruction, organising and planning assessment tasks, and

designing teaching and learning tasks to ensure the quality of

instruction

Learning environment The physical space where learning takes place.

Learning strategy or plan The approach to the learning process, made up of one or more

tasks. The strategy or plan may span a number of hours, weeks

or whole semesters.

Learning task An activity designed by a teacher for the learner to achieve

specific learning outcomes.

Learning tool The artefact that is used in order to undertake an activity for a

particular learning outcome.

Online learning Online learning is defined as education that takes place with the

use of digital technology to connect different devices and to

facilitate interaction of the learner with: other learners; learning

programmes; and other sources of information. Online learning

may take place in any physical environment where a learner can

use a device to connect to the Internet. It can to support

learning in different contexts, including school site and distance

learning, separately or in combination, in which case can be

understood as a form of blended learning.

Pedagogy/pedagogical The method and practice of teaching. A teacher will develop

their own pedagogical approach over the course of their career.

It will be rooted in the teacher’s own cultural understanding of

the learning process, particularly in regard to their own

specialist competence area.

Professional development The learning that professionals engage in at any stage of their

career to enhance their practice.

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School head The most senior school leadership position - the person with

overall responsibility for the pedagogical and administrative

management of the school or cluster of schools. This role might

also be referred to as ‘head teacher’, ‘school principal’ or

‘school director’. They can also be included in the broad

definition of ‘school leader’.

School leader One who holds a formal position of responsibility for the

management of the school. School leaders are also “teachers”,

as they are also still involved in learner development, both in

and out of the classroom.

Schools as learning

organisations

This is the concept of a school community that encourages and

enables teachers and school leaders to improve both their

pedagogical and their organisational practices concurrently

through local collaborative research, networking and continued

professional development. Such schools do not exist in

isolation; they are linked and embedded within a learning

system where decision-makers can learn from the developments

that are taking place in and around schools.

Special Educational Needs Learning problems or disabilities that make it harder for

children to learn than most children of the same age.

Stakeholder Stakeholders are individuals, groups, or formal organisations

that have an interest in and/or responsibility towards improving

school education. They include students, parents, teachers,

school heads, local authorities, social partners, employer

organisations, researchers, non-governmental organisations,

and others.

Student teacher Persons undertaking a formal course of theoretical and practical

study in order to qualify as a teacher.

Those leading such study are called “teacher educators”.

Teacher The role of the teacher combines pedagogical practice of the

classroom with other tasks supporting the functioning and

development of the school. They are responsible for their own

professional development and that of their peers. They may also

take on minor or temporary leadership roles – as project

managers, peer mentors, or specialists in a particular

competence.

Quality assurance Quality assurance involves the systematic review of educational

provision to maintain and improve its quality, equity and

efficiency. It encompasses school self-evaluation, external

evaluation (including inspection), the evaluation of teachers and

school leaders, and student assessments.

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Whole School Approach This involves collaboration between all parts of the school. It

needs a positive attitude towards working together between

school leaders, teachers and all school staff, as well as parents,

carers and the wider community.

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3. What has been learnt from

European stakeholders

Image: pixabay.com

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3. What has been learnt from European

education stakeholders

In order to support the statements of the Recommendation and to support action following

its adoption, this chapter discusses recent evidence from research together with European

stakeholder opinions and experiences.

Where possible, this Staff Working Document provides examples of existing policies and

projects supporting blended learning specifically. However, it is not an exhaustive review of

literature or project examples regarding teaching and learning in primary and secondary

education. Given that blended learning is a constantly-evolving field – particularly in the

context of school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic – it should be acknowledged that

new evidence and perspectives are always emerging.

3.1 Stakeholder groups and modes of communication

An ongoing dialogue with different education stakeholder groups involved is important in any

change or reform process, not least with a blended learning approach that involves all parts of the

school education system. This is important to recognise and value not just in the context of this

Recommendation but also taking the work further at a national, regional, and local level in the

future.

The European Commission has consulted with ministry of education representatives, European

network organisations (of teacher educators, parents, students, employers, and trade unions),

educators, school pupils, and other members of the public.

Various methods have been used to better understand the challenges and possibilities in this area:

online meetings and webinars: allow different representatives to share and discuss

experiences in depth, reacting in real time to each other’s views

surveys to a targeted school education audience: asking a small number of focused

questions to a specific stakeholder group gives voice to a large number of practitioners

and generates useful data to understand needs and possible solutions

public consultation: allowing a broad set of opinions to be expressed can help decision-

makers see an issue from a range of perspectives

Image: pixabay.com

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research projects: primary research (generating new data) can help understand the

impact of a current or new approach, which can be complemented by secondary research

(reviewing previous research) can give light on recent developments in the light of new

contexts.

In 2020, the Commission undertook a number of supportive and consultation activities, notably

during the early months of the pandemic focusing on school site closure and reopening, for the

Digital Education Action Plan, and at the start of the new academic year regarding ongoing

school education development.

The Commission hosted an online Distance Learning Network (April-June) with two

subgroups - School Education and Higher Education - for Member States ministry

representatives to exchange approaches on the continuity of education in their systems

during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants discussed and shared

approaches on key topics, including assessment and examinations, well-being, and

quality assurance. Representatives also gave their input to “Blended learning in school

education: guidelines for the start of the academic year 2020/21” which were published

online in July.

Exchange of information and ideas on online and distance learning took place via the

ministerial videoconferences organised by the Council presidency, and at the levels of

Directors General for Schools, Higher Education, and Vocational Education and

Training, the ET2020 Working Groups, and European stakeholder network events.

A broad public consultation took place on the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-27

between June and September 2020. The Open Public Consultation results59 found that

almost 60% of the respondents had not used distance and online learning before the crisis

and yet 95% consider that the COVID-19 pandemic marks a point of no return for how

technology is used in education and training. The new Digital Education Action Plan

2021-2027 outlines the European Commission’s vision for high quality, inclusive and

accessible digital education in Europe. It is a call to action for stronger cooperation at

European level to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and make education and training

systems fit for the digital age. One of the Action Plan’s two strategic priorities is

fostering the development a high-performing digital education ecosystem, under which

the Recommendation is proposed.

Additional communication with stakeholders on this topic was undertaken in April and

September 2020 in the form of two European online surveys via the Commission’s

School Education Gateway platform, which highlighted the growing confidence of

59 Available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12453-Digital-Education-Action-

Plan/public-consultation

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teachers and their capacity to innovate, but also still highlighted their urgent need for

professional development opportunities.

In August to October 2020, the Commission facilitated a series of online discussions with

members of the ET2020 Working Group Schools (representatives of ministries and

stakeholder organisations) specifically focused on blended learning in the current school

education context.

In 2021, the Commission undertook further stakeholder consultation via:

two online workshops with Ministry of Education and European network

organisation representatives;

a consultation with over 100 school pupils60 via the eTwinning community of

teachers and schools: A short questionnaire was designed with 5 questions: 4 as a

mixture of multiple choice and open text responses, and 1 drawing task. eTwinning

teachers were invited to volunteer to complete the questionnaire with their students. The

teachers also provided an initial analysis of the student responses by completing a teacher

summary. These summaries were the main source of the Commission analysis,

complemented by analysing individual student responses.

inviting the public to comment on the broad description of the aims and key ideas of

the Recommendation (“Roadmap”) with responses from international organisations as

well as individual citizens.

Additional research that has taken place by the Joint Research Centre of the European

Commission includes:

A survey focusing on families with children and how they perceived remote schooling

activities (11 countries)61

Interviews with teachers, school heads, other stakeholders in 5 countries62

During 2020, many countries and international organisations, such as OECD, UNESCO, the

European Distance and e-Learning Network, European Alliance for Apprenticeships, and the

European Parents Association, held their own various events and research exercises, which the

work on the Recommendation has benefitted from.

60 From the initial list of volunteers, 7 teachers took part from 5 countries (EL, DE, FR, HR, IT) with a total of 104 student responses – 38 primary and 66 secondary. 61 How families handled emergency remote schooling during the Covid-19 lockdown in spring 2020 by Vuorikari, R., Velicu, A., Chaudron, S., Cachia, R. and Di Gioia, R., EUR 30425 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2020, ISBN 978-92-76-24519-3 (online), doi:10.2760/31977 (online) 62 European Commission / Joint Research Centre (forthcoming) What did we learn from schooling practices during the COVID-19 lockdown? Insights from five EU countries

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3.2 Main findings during the consultation process

Through the different modes of communication listed above (section 3.1) the European

Commission has explored with stakeholders these key questions:

What are the opportunities for school education when adopting a blended learning

approach?

What are the challenges?

How can blended learning as a concept be supported in a practical sense within and

across national systems (i.e. how can it be not only better understood but implemented

more in school education)?

From the open public consultation on the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-27, the majority of

respondents from education and training across all sectors/levels were happy with the measures

taken to ensure the continuity of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the level

of satisfaction appears to be greater in higher education compared to other educational levels,

especially compared to early childhood education and care, and primary education.63 Therefore it

was critical to explore all aspects of this topic in as much depth, and from as many perspectives,

as possible in order to fully understand the challenges and opportunities going forward.

The discussions and findings fall into different thematic areas. All are interlinked and are b a

core understanding of the school being a learning organisation within a wider community:

Design and management of learning

Teachers

School leaders

Inclusion and targeted support to learners

Well-being of staff and pupils

Quality assurance

The following sub-sections discuss the evidence regarding challenges and possible solutions

within each thematic area.

63 There was strong support for the approaches taken during the first months of the pandemic among respondents from non-

formal education, higher education, adult education and vocational education and training. The proportion of negative opinions was larger (around 30%) among respondents from early childhood education and care, primary education, secondary education and the residual education category.

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3.2.1 Design and management of learning

Image: https://rijdendeschool.nl/

This section provides recent evidence both about well-established approaches to the design of a

blended learning approach, as well as the lessons learned from Emergency Remote Teaching in

2020, which can inform the approaches to design of blended learning.

There have been four decades of experience of designing online learning for schools,

universities, vocational learning, individual and informal learning. At the school level, online

programmes have been designed for a range of needs: as a replacement for mainstream schools,

for elite athletes, to support school refusers, or those with difficulty in attending mainstream

schools. Over the last 20 years there has been increasing use of blended learning as well as

online learning in schools.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a sudden switch for a great many students from

classroom learning to forms of online and blended learning necessitated by the crisis but the

design of which was not always ideal (Emergency Remote Teaching64).

When designing such blends, schools need to consider, at a minimum, the following

ingredients65 for their blended learning: learning environments – where learning will take place -

; and the tools that teachers and students will use – what types of devices and communication

they use. These are embedded within the learning tasks that teachers and students will use – how

learning will take place – in order to shape the learning design as a process towards intended

learning outcomes.

This section takes an in-depth look at evidence supporting the following within a blended

learning approach:

Environments: where learning takes place

Tools – types and access

64 https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning 65 Presented by Michael Hallissy in the School Education Gateway webinar, “Blended learning: creating your unique blend”, 15 March 2021, with an Introduction by Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. Recording available at: https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/teacher_academy/webinars/blended-learning-your-blend.htm

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Tasks: how learning takes place

Assessment

Environments: where learning takes place

As blended learning takes place in a combination of -school site and distance66 environments,

schools may be (newly) responsible for both. Regardless of how public authorities (and

legislation) define legal responsibility, all stakeholders need to benefit from both types of

environment, and all types need to be functioning and accessible enough to support the learning

experience to its full potential.

According to new research under development, valuing of out-of-classroom learning and

ensuring equitable access to it is a common feature across all “high performing” systems. The

challenge is an increasingly demanding curriculum but working in partnership with others (the

work place, cultural and social organisations) is considered highly effective.67

“It’s hard to talk about silver linings in a pandemic … but … it

gives us an opportunity to reflect on our practice and learn. And

getting kids outside leads to more active, experiential learning.

Most kids thrive on that.” (Perspective of an education

consultant68)

Learning indoors on the school site

In a 2019 European survey on learning environments, two thirds of respondents thought that

their school does not have an environment conducive to 21st-century education. Most classrooms

are set up for 21-30 students and the most common seating layout is pairs of desks in rows.

Respondents disagreed that changes to learning environments distract students or create stress for

teachers but rather that innovation in teaching and learning is facilitated by the school’s learning

environment. Most believed that it is possible to change the learning environment in their school

and that there are simple, low-cost steps to do so. However, 8 out of 10 respondents agreed that

66 The distance learning environment is often assumed to be the home, but could include: public libraries, museums and galleries; farms and factories; parks, forests and waterways; cafes and other social spaces (often with free Wi-Fi), hospitals (in the case of sick or injured children), or sports centres and film studios (in the case of children on professional contracts). In the case of a pandemic or other crisis, some or all of these may be closed except for emergency access. 67 National Centre on Education and the Economy in conjunction with the Australian Council for Education Research. Part of a panel discussion at the Educa Conference – Helsinki, 28-29 January 2021. Programme available at https://educa.messukeskus.com/programmes/?lang=en#programmeStage=Equity 68 https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/outdoor-learning-can-help-students-during-covid-19-and-beyond

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ministries and regional/local authorities are not supporting schools enough in creating an optimal

environment for modern teaching and learning.69

“Education in which children have to sit still on a chair during a

whole day is outdated and unhealthy.” (Teacher)

In the 2021 student consultation (see 3.1 above for details), students were asked what was good

and not so good about learning in the classroom. Many students (from multiple schools) said

they enjoyed being in the same space as fellow students and working in groups. Some

considered it easier to ask questions to their teachers and peers when they are in the same

(physical) place. For a number of students, learning in the classroom made it easier to

concentrate and stay focused, although others considered it a more chaotic and noisy

environment.

“Good thing is that you can ask [the] teacher if you don’t

understand something; you meet and interact with your peers

… sometimes it is too loud because of some who are not

interested in learning or you get bored.” (Student responses

reported by their teacher in consultation)

The constraints of the school timetable was a challenge highlighted by one teacher: “They have

difficulties to do work at a specific time.”

Reflecting on when they learn in other places around the school (gym, library, playground),

many positive factors were reported by students, such as fresh air in outdoors spaces, more team

activities, and less stress.

“…it is good because the lesson is fun, interesting, motivating,

exciting, training mind and body, they blow off steam, they

have more space to move, they have access to books (other

than course books).” (Student responses reported by their

teacher in consultation)

As with classroom-based tasks, noise and distraction seem to be an issue for some students,

whilst others feel these activities were too short and would need more time.

Learning outdoors

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions brought renewed attention to the possibility and benefits of

learning outdoors, and many schools around the globe actively planned to move learning outside

of the walls of the classroom, notably in Denmark.70

69 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/viewpoints/surveys/survey-on-learning-environment.htm 70 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/09/16/outdoor-school-coronavirus-denmark-europe-forest/

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Germany today has over 1500 nature and forest kindergartens71 where children are encouraged to

play, explore and learn in a forest or other natural environment. The idea has been replicated in

neighbouring countries, and today there are associations in the UK and Switzerland: Forest

School Association, Chouette-Forêt, and Waldkindergarten 72. It is believed that not only do

forest kindergartens allow children to reconnect with nature, they also teach them how to play

together, how to be inquisitive, creative and innovative, and how to respect their environment.73

In the 2021 student consultation, a number of students (from multiple schools) said they were

more interested and motivated when they were learning outdoors. Enjoying nature and fresh air

were mention by a number of students to be a benefit.

“They like large spaces, discovering many things/places. They

don’t get bored and feel free to act.” (Teacher report on student

consultation)

A number of students said they found learning outdoors to be relaxing and good for

concentration, although the presence of insects or cold weather were mentioned by some as

negative factors.

“Learning in outdoor places seems to have human and social

effects on the students’ behaviour: they said they can escape, be

in peace, relax, learn in silence and have a maximum of

concentration.” (Teacher report on student consultation)

Being closer to nature was a common theme in the survey picture task with some student pictures

showing learning in an outdoors setting (gardens, trees, park, sun, flowers).

71 http://bvnw.de/ 72 http://www.forestschoolassociation.org/ ; http://chouette-foret.ch/index.php/accueil-4 ; http://www.waldkinderbasel.ch/ 73 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/latest/news/early-years-education-in-the-f.htm

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Figure 12: Student drawings as part of the 2021 consultation survey

Aside from the 2021 Student Consultation, there are pre-pandemic examples of school practice,

such as from Italy where the approach to learning environments and tools was modified (see

Example A, below).

EXAMPLE A: Comprehensive School Giovanni XXIII of Acireale, Italy

This school wanted to promote the active participation of students; foster inclusion; and nurture

autonomy and a sense of responsibility. They adopted various approaches in re-designing

learning environments and tasks:

• Outdoor schooling (nursery school): to stimulate sensory experiences by encouraging direct

contact with nature.

• Bag-less learning (primary school): students only wear a light purse to hold their personal

belongings and a notebook for homework tasks while school is furnished with various learning

tools.

• Workshop rooms and flipped classrooms (secondary school): teachers personalise their

working space in terms of furniture and other tools. In a flipped classroom approach, students

prepare to lead their own class discussion by watching a pre-recorded lecture.

https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools/detail.cfm?n=6084

Visits to other sites as part of the school day

Research and expert knowledge reveal that visits to museums can be powerful learning

experiences. They are brought to life for children by specially trained museum educators and are

highly engaging when collections are hands-on and are used by the children during the activities.

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Narrative is an important feature and where the activities fit into a storyline that is packed with

details, it stimulates both engagement and memory.74

When asked in the consultation about school trips to other sites, such as museums, factories or

sports centres, a number of students said that the trips were stimulating and allowed them to

learn new things in a different environment:

“[They] discover new things in a different place. New ways to

learn … it is original.” (Teacher)

A number of students criticised, however, that the visits can also be boring, and they do not like

the fact they needed to be quiet on these trips.

“The organization doesn’t help them to discover by themselves.

They think they are not being able to walk around and to see

what interests them most.”(Teacher)

Visits to farms can also be an enriching experience for young people. As part of their school

education, pupils can be introduced to different animals, including facts about their natural

habitat and their role in food production. They can develop a more tangible understanding of the

importance of healthy eating habits and can healthy eating habits. They can also be introduced to

issues such as local food chains, organic farming, sustainable production or food waste. These

are recognised benefits of the European Union School Fruit, Vegetables and Milk Scheme.75

There are numerous examples of farms and ecological centres opening up their sites for

educational visits. However, equal access to these opportunities relies on sufficient funding,

either regionally or nationally, and synergies between education and agricultural policies.

Without these, the risk is that only those who can afford such visits, or who are situated near a

facility that has received special education funding, will benefit.76

Diversifying and opening up school and community facilities

A makerspace is typically a room or studio inside a school, library or other community building

for making objects using tools. Theses spaces are open to people of different ages and skill level

and have a variety of equipment that is not typically available in every home or classroom,

including full sets of drivers and drills, 3D printers, laser cutters, and soldering irons for circuit

boards.

74 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/viewpoints/experts/what-a-visit-to-a-museum-can-m.htm 75 Information about the EU School fruit, vegetables and milk scheme is available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/market-measures/school-fruit-vegetables-and-milk-scheme/school-scheme-explained_en 76 Wetzels, H. (2020) “Changing the Way Children Learn About Farms & Food”. Available at https://www.arc2020.eu/changing-the-way-children-learn-about-farms-food/

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Makerspaces - also known as FabLabs or Hackerspaces - are collaborative workspaces for

making, learning, exploring and sharing and much of the literature describes a pedagogy of

“creativity”, “informal”, “without pressure”, and “try-and-fail-and-try-again”77. They are open to

children, young people and adults. The term refers to a variety of spaces that can be a

gathering point for tools, people, projects and expertise. The concept involves participation,

collaboration, information sharing and spontaneity. Makerspaces provide a welcoming space

for learning new literacies, and developing new skills by exploring ideas, concepts and

technologies. Three unique aspects of makerspaces can be outlined for education and training

purposes in the future. Firstly, making activities naturally combine disciplines that are

traditionally taught separately; secondly, while exploring real world problems individuals

acquire new knowledge and create meaning from the experience; and thirdly, due to

informal ways of social interaction in makerspaces, a diversity of flexible learning arrangements

are created, e.g. peer learning and mentoring, peer coaching.78

EXAMPLE B: Makerspaces – guidelines for schools and case studies

In 2020, the Interactive Classroom Working Group (ICWG) of European Schoolnet (EUN)

published practical guidelines for school leaders and teachers. The guidelines have been based on

research and experiences observed and analysed in projects conducted by the Italian

Government's National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research

(INDIRE) in recent years. They were further informed by desk research and the experiences of

schools in nine countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,

Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey) that have created their own makerspaces as documented in the

case studies below, which are based on interviews with the schools' principals and teachers.

https://fcl.eun.org/makerspaces-practical-guidelines

One such example is Base 1, is located within Forum Geesseknäppchena, a resource centre for

work with youth in Luxembourg City, and situated very near to three secondary schools. During

school hours it is visited by primary and secondary classes and outside of school hours it is open

to the general public. The makerspace aim is “to provide a boundary free environment for

students where they can evolve their own project ideas in a creative manner” provides students

with opportunities to use equipment and materials that they may be unfamiliar with and also to

learn new skills, such as coding and design.

https://www.base1.lu/

77 Fourie, I. and Meyer, A. (2015) What to make of makerspaces: Tools and DIY only or is there an interconnected information resources space?, Library Hi Tech, 33(4). Available at https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/LHT-09-2015-0092/full/html 78 Vuorikari, R., Ferrari, A. and Punie, Y. (2019) Makerspaces for Education and Training: Exploring future implications for

Europe, EUR 29819 EN, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Available at: https://europa.eu/!xG98yQ

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Whilst some teaching and learning may shift away from the school site, the school site may

positively change its role in the community as a site for more than just young pupils and their

teachers. Schools that have invested in community libraries, sports centres, and other shared

facilities may have the capacity to promote extended-hours access to their premises for members

of the wider community. Opening up school facilities outside of school hours for outreach and

extra-curricular activities can be highly advantageous. It encourages community empowerment

and helps to bridge the gap between schools and parents, particularly those who are unfamiliar

with the school system.

In the 2021 student consultation, some students specifically referred to wanting more

opportunities for school trips, engaging with professional speakers, and international projects.

The Council of Europe describes how the creation of learning opportunities in “overlapping

communities” has important implications for educational institutions and the way they relate to

other agents of education for democratic citizenship in society (see Figure 12, below).79 This is

based on the premise that “strengthening democracy means far more than encouraging

participation in formal processes such as voting: it means advancing a form of association or

“way of life” which has its roots in community and neighbourhood life and relationships.”80

Figure 13: Overlapping learning communities as a powerful environment for development

79 Hartley, M. and Huddleston, T. (2010) School–community–university partnerships for a sustainable democracy: Education for democratic citizenship in Europe and the United States of America. Council of Europe Publishing. Available online at https://rm.coe.int/16802f7271 80 Ibid and Dewey, J. (1916) Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. New York: Macmillan

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“Collaboration is vital... The Recommendation should foster the

creation of partnerships between private sector, national and

local authorities, training and education providers, as well as

NGOs.” (European association)

Learning from and managing VET and work-based learning

Blended learning is a widely established practice in Initial Vocational Education and Training.

VET’s unique feature of requiring learners to apply the abstract knowledge gained in formal

educational settings in a work-based context, makes it particularly suited for blended learning.81

The most common blended approaches combine elements of digital-based distance learning for

the theoretical part of the curriculum, with on-site time reserved for practical learning. 82

However, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that the work-based learning component of VET

lacked sufficient tools and processes to support practical learning at a distance from tutors,

employers and site-specific equipment.83 The reduction in access to practical experiences

highlighted the known need for Vocational Education and Training to take further advantage of

digital technology including digital devices and learning platforms, ePortfolios and Augmented

Reality and Virtual Reality for simulations.

A survey on the challenges and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vocational education and

training84 was undertaken by the Commission in March-May 2020 with the following findings:

Several tools are available for supporting distance learning. However, in general, VET online

material is less developed, as far as the practical parts of training and work-based learning are

concerned;

VET learners might be at a disadvantage compared to learners from other educational tracks,

as more efforts are put into general school subjects, and less into typical vocational content;

There is substantial disruption to the apprenticeship ‘supply chain’. Apprentices have largely

discontinued their company attendance in the sectors whose activities have been shut down

(e.g. restauration, well-being, tourism, and manufacturing). In some cases, discontinuation

and termination of financial compensation, where applicable, increases the rate of drop-outs;

Little capacity for employers to focus on training either for youngsters or for their employees

over concerns for ensuring business continuity. However, some employers and training

81 Butler, J., & Brooker, R. (1998). The learning context within technical and further education colleges as perceived by apprentices and their workplace supervisors. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 50, 79–96. 82 “Exploring Blended Learning approaches for VET” - project funded by Erasmus+ programme.

https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/eplus-project-details/#project/2016-1-UK01-KA202-024636 83 During the school closure, work-based learning was maintained in very few European countries (i.e. Denmark, Ireland,

Sweden and Finland) and only in sectors where companies’ activities were still ongoing. Available at :

https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/latest/news/vet-through-distance-learning.htm 84 https://ec.europa.eu/social/vocational-skills-week/fight-against-covid-19_en

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providers made best use of the confinement period to support the training of their employees

and to accelerate deployment of digital learning systems and content;

While it is a significant challenge for teachers and trainers as well as learners to adapt swiftly

to this dramatic change, many stakeholders have mobilised themselves to help (VET

providers, local governments, publishers, NGOs, companies, etc.);

There is a strong call for a European online platform (which is safe, quality assured,

multilingual, etc.) that would offer opportunities for networking and exchanging good

practices and would provide digital solutions, also for work-based learning.

The 2020 report by the ET2020 Working Group on Vocational Education and Training85

highlights the opportunity to change the way that learners learn. This includes by:

Broadening the range and reach of learning experiences;

Enabling students to contextualise and apply their learning in the real world by accessing

learning opportunities outside the classroom;

Facilitating communication, connection and collaboration beyond the immediate school

or local community.

Recent research in Sweden86 indicates that VET teachers can create continuity between the on-

site school environment and the work place that VET learners are preparing for, but in some

cases this is a demanding task that requires creativity significant amount of effort and problem-

solving. Some teachers leave it to the student to make the connection but other teachers go to

some lengths to modify the school site environment so that the link is made for the student. This

is evidently an area of VET that still requires development.

Vocational education taking place in the dual contexts of workplace and school often lack the

tools to fully exploit this potential. Nevertheless, digital tools are being developed87 to support

coordination between the student, VET institution and companies88 and emphasise the

85 European Commission (2020) Innovation and Digitalisation: A report of the ET 2020 Working Group on Vocational Education and Training (VET). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Available at : https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=9861&furtherNews=yes 86 : Mårtensson, Å. (2020): Creating continuity between school and workplace: VET teachers’ in-school work to overcome boundaries, Journal of Vocational Education & Training, DOI: 10.1080/13636820.2020.1829009 87 European Commission/Joint Research Centre (2020) “Adapting the SELFIE tool for work-based learning systems in Vocational Education and Training”: a feasibility study, pp. 12-14 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC119707/200211_selfie_wbl_jrc_tech_report.pdf 88 Such as the Trialog App co-funded by Erasmus+ programme https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/eplus-project-details/#project/2016-1-RO01-KA202-024528

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importance of shared reflection.89 Both the Council Recommendation on vocational education

and training90 and 2020 Osnabruck Declaration91 contain extensive references to digitalisation.

“It is absolutely to be welcomed that vocational training has been

explicitly included ... In this context, it is important to strike a

sensible balance between online communication and presence.

However, high quality practical training must take place

physically. It can be supported by digital tools, but cannot be

replaced by them.” (Member State Chamber of Commerce)

Evidence is growing of the benefits of incorporating elements of gaming and gamification into

digital tools. The use of immersive simulations like virtual and augmented reality92 also allow

students to rehearse risky processes in safe and controlled conditions. Digital tools may also

provide new ways of teaching and assessing learners93 so that learning progression in the two

environments can be seamless and more complementary. The Directors General responsible for

Vocational Education and Training from all Member States, the European Commission, and

other relevant stakeholders meet to discuss current topics and share effective practices in

European education, and particularly the VET agenda. Digitalisation is one of the recurrent

topics.

89 For example, digital technologies based on ‘Erfahrraum’ multidimensional pedagogical model (that emphasizes the importance of shared reflection processes to turn concrete experiences into relevant integrated knowledge) such as REALTO platform. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13636820.2015.1061041?scroll=top&needAccess=true 90 EUR-Lex - 32020H1202(01) - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 91 osnabrueck_declaration_eu2020.pdf (europa.eu) 92 Andrew McCoshan (2020) “Digital learning in VET: why COVID-19 is a wake-up call” School Education Gateway/European Commission. Accessed at : https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/viewpoints/experts/digital-learning-in-vet.htm 93 For example, in the digital simulation Simspray, learners can spray-paint as often as they like and get instant feedback, which is potentially more precise and detailed than is normally given to the learner.

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EXAMPLE C: Digital simulation tools that enhance VET learning in a safe environment

The teacher-led project VRhoogte is a prime example of using a VR application for learning.

The project, funded by the Flemish government, has developed a high-quality VR training

module for secondary VET students to learn how to work safely in high places, such as high-

voltage pylons or wind turbines. Through the VR training module students can work and train a

number of basic skills in a safe, interactive and challenging environment in preparation for the

workplace. The module itself deals with scaffolding installations and construction. In addition to

software and hardware, the project consortium is further developing a manual and training for

schools and teachers so that they can transfer the module to their schools.

VRhoogte - Veilig werken op virtual hoogte, (2019). Available at https://www.imec-

int.com/drupal/sites/default/files/inline-files/VR_HOOGTE_V4_0.pdf

Video about VRhoogte: https://www.imec.be/nl/sectoren/smart-education/smart-education-

schools/projecten/smart-education-schools-project-videos#VRhoogte

The central aim of the German project handlevr is to use VR technologies to promote the action-

oriented learning of various techniques for applying individual layers of paint on vehicle pieces

by trainees. The central tool for this project is a three-dimensional VR learning environment: the

VR paint shop. It consists of an authoring tool for teachers as well as a VR training application

and a reflection application for trainees.

The project is supported by a network of proven experts in the areas of developing VR

applications (University of Potsdam), digitally-oriented didactics (Learning Lab of the

University of Duisburg-Essen) and professional qualification and further training in the craft

(ZWH e . V.). The application partner in the project is Mercedes-Benz Ludwigsfelde GmbH with

a focus on the training of vehicle painters.

https://handlevr.de/

Learning remotely full-time

Traditionally, most formal learning has taken place in a physical classroom but there are

examples94 of learning programmes taking place at a distance since the 1800s. Such courses

were often referred to as “correspondence courses” and they were rooted in a communication

style – writing and sending by post - which students adopted to engage with members of staff

responsible for delivering the programme by distance.95

94 https://elearninginfographics.com/history-of-distance-education-infographic/ 95 https://www.qaa.ac.uk/news-events/news/qaa-publishes-building-a-taxonomy-for-digital-learning

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While distance learning was originally associated with the world of business, such approaches

were also adopted and adapted by the world of education and in particular by schools and

universities. Some have described such approaches as “remote” learning96, for example where

students continued their education remotely via the radio during the polio epidemic of the 1930s

and where the telephone supported remote learning from hospitals long before video-

conferencing.97 There is a long history of technologies, such as television, supporting distance

and remote learning in schools and other formal settings for well over a century.98

Distance learning has been on the increase in higher education, particularly over the past 10

years, with an increase in the number of students learning remotely.99 The development of the

Internet and other software programmes have made it easier for learners to enrol in courses from

anywhere in the world.100

Perhaps less well known is that there has been a similar growth recently of full-time (or almost)

distance learning school education.101 There are a number of schools that offer supplemental

education to students who are unable to access learning on-site. Students log-in from home or

from their school to participate in an online programme that typically consists of a mix of

synchronous and asynchronous learning events. This blend varies depends on the course and the

course providers.102

Such examples include “iScoil” in Ireland, where students who are not in mainstream education

continue their education from home.103 All of these programmes were in place pre-COVID-19

and allowed young people to engage in formal schooling remotely over the Internet.

On this topic the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF)’s rapid evidence assessment in

2020104, albeit largely based on other (non-pandemic) situations, concluded that:

Teaching quality is more important than how lessons are delivered;

Ensuring access to technology is key, particularly for disadvantaged pupils;

Peer interactions can provide motivation and improve learning outcomes;

Supporting pupils to work independently can improve learning outcomes;

Different approaches to remote learning suit different tasks and types of content.

96 https://theconversation.com/remote-learning-isnt-new-radio-instruction-in-the-1937-polio-epidemic-143797 97 https://www.the74million.org/article/how-the-telephone-became-the-20th-centurys-most-successful-remote-learning-technology-for-homebound-students 98 Cuban, L. (1986) Teachers and machines: the classroom use of technology since 1920. New York and London: Teachers College Press 99 Grade Increase: Tracking Distance Education in the United States, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED580852 100 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0047239520934018 101 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330275960_The_Landscape_of_K-12_Online_Learning_Examining_What_Is_Known 102 https://www.education.ie/en/The-Education-System/Policy-on-Gaeltacht-Education-2017-2022/irish-medium-e-hub-pilot-project-international-review-and-advisory-report.pdf 103 http://iscoil.ie/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/HistoryofiScoil_2015.pdf 104 Education Endowment Foundation (2020) Remote learning rapid evidence assessment. Education Endowment Foundation.

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EXAMPLE D: School for Circus Children, Germany

The School for Circus Children offers education for professionally travelling, school-aged

children. It was established in 2007 in Hilden, Germany, with online lessons taking place in real

time, meaning that the learning group and the teacher log in to the virtual classroom at a certain

time. Learning takes place daily with different students from different circuses, no matter where

in the world they are located. The objectives of this school are:

- Support and extension of digital learning;

- Intensive preparations for the central final examinations;

- Individualised support and personalised learning;

- Inter-circus and group-based learning arrangements.

Within the projects of the school, students are encouraged to recognise their personal interests,

abilities and dormant talents, familiarise themselves with the digital world, but also have fun

with their peers, for example by playing online board games.

https://www.schulefuercircuskinder-nrw.de/konzept/die-

idee/lernkonzept/beschulungsformen/onlinelernen/

Shadow education

“Shadow education” is a widespread phenomenon but has received relatively little attention in

education research. Greater awareness of how students in all socio-demographic groups are

engaging with this type of supplementary learning may be important for getting a better

understanding of learning that occurs outside of classrooms but which is not “blended”.

“Shadow education” refers to private, fee-paying education with the aim of helping students

succeed in formal education. It has reached mass levels internationally, and families at all

income levels may invest in this type of supplementary learning to support their children’s

learning and future opportunities.105

105 Gyōri, J.G. (2020). Shadow education—Opportunity for development. European Journal of Education, 55(3), 305 – 310

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Shadow education may include private tutoring, after-school studies, informal learning or leisure

or culture (sports/arts), and other non‐academic extra‐curricular activities. Some programmes

help students to develop more technical skills in students, i.e. for robotics, programming,

Artificial Intelligence and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT).106 Shadow

education may also be is seen as a way for gifted students to fulfil their academic abilities and

interests.107

While this type of education is typically not supported by public funds, it is complementary to

formal education and integral to the overall education system.108 Providers range from private

individuals to transnational franchises (e.g. Japanese Kumon centres). Courses are provided in a

variety of venues (commercial settings, public school buildings, community centres, youth

organisations, in students’ or teachers’ homes, libraries), and increasingly, tutoring is available

online, including through video conference other internet-based platforms.109 It is often focused

on attaining high grades in summative high stakes examinations and, given that it requires a fee,

raises questions about its contribution to an equitable education system.

Organisation of the school timetable

How the school day and working hours of staff are structured may benefit from review and

increased flexibility. Changes to the timetable may be influenced by whether there is a need to

synchronise learning i.e. having the teacher and full class in the same lesson (same physical

space or online), meaning that they cannot be occupied elsewhere. Teaching and learning hours

may also change when a significant number of pupils are not on the school campus (e.g. VET

students on work placement or new crisis response that imposes confinement).

With health restrictions defining how many children could attend school at one time, some

schools and systems used a rotation approach - for example, pupils being in school for two days

a week - or a parallel approach – for example, having two timetables for online (off-site) and on-

site learning.110 Some established fixed timetables for online classes conducted at the same times

as the pre-lockdown timetable to provide continuity and structure for learners. For others, the

emphasis was on flexibility and enabling learners to engage with learning on their own terms.

Reducing class size or dividing into groups – not only for health reasons but also to engage in

particular activities - may mean that additional teachers are needed to support teacher 106 Kobakhidze, M.N. & Suter, L.E. (2020). The Global Diversity of Shadow Education. European Journal of Education, 55(3), pp.316-321 107 Kim, Y.C., Jo, J., and Jung, J-H., (2020) The education of academically gifted students in South Korea: Innovative approaches in shadow education European Journal of Education, 55(3), pp.379-387 108 Kobakhidze, M.N. & Suter, L.E. (2020). The Global Diversity of Shadow Education. European Journal of Education. 55(3), 316-321 109 Gyōri, J.G. (2020). Shadow education—Opportunity for development. European Journal of Education, 55(3), 305 – 310 110 For example, in the US: https://catlintucker.com/2020/07/exploring-hybrid-schedules/ and https://www.edsurge.com/news/2020-09-03-we-run-a-hybrid-school-here-s-how-we-re-adapting-our-schedule-for-the-times

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substitution.111 Therefore there is a demand on the school staff and budget. A criticism of

attempting a parallel timetable is that teachers are asked to direct their effort and attention in two

places at once.112

A blended learning approach may encourage an emphasis on interactive (e.g. discussion) or

practical learning tasks when on the school site by using a flipped classroom approach to focus

the preparatory learning at distance. In this case, timetable changes may benefit teaching and

learning by offering longer (or double) lesson periods for extended practical or collaborative

work.

The design of blended learning for different age groups may also be reflected in the timetable.

For instance, younger pupils may have more teacher contact time or time on the school site

compared to older pupils. At certain times in the academic year, for instance in the period before

examinations, certain year groups may also be allocated increased teacher contact time.

Helping learners to manage the distance environment

It is important to provide learners with guidance and support to ensure they have a meaningful

experience within different environments and with different tools.113

Consideration should be given to helping learners manage their own distance learning

environment, by themselves or with peers: the choice of physical space, the atmosphere (e.g.

whether to have background music, the company of others, and so on)114, and time management.

Self-regulation refers to an individual’s capacity to deliberately control thoughts, feelings, and

actions and to orchestrate them in ways that support the pursuit of longer-term objectives, such

as obtaining good grades or understanding the learning content, in the academic context.115 As

such, self-regulation predicts the probability with which these objectives are attained.116 As

learning predominantly in the home was entirely novel for most students in 2020 and, many of

them experienced it as a major challenge and they struggled with structuring their learning and

111 https://assets.gov.ie/82145/40753991-21a5-4715-a5a1-0f193df95ade.pdf 112 Bates, T. (2020) “Why school boards need to listen to online learning professionals”. Online Learning and Distance Education Resources (website). Available at https://www.tonybates.ca/2020/11/04/why-school-boards-need-to-listen-to-online-learning-professionals/ 113 https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTKJSTc2gxVC12Oki9bv3S12dry1ZsfATX8zmdBbuPJZ8ejUBpecTy50Yk_7aOSDwh83WHu0NTpOOK3/pub 114 See, for example, https://www.bouldermedicalcenter.com/tips-for-at-home-learning-during-covid-19/ 115 Duckworth, A.L., Taxer, J.L., Eskreis-Winkler, L., Galla, B.M., and Gross, J.J. (2019) Self-control and academic achievement, Annual Review of Psychology, 70:1, 373-399 116 Tangney, J.P., Baumeister, R.F. and Boone, A.L. (2004), High Self‐Control Predicts Good Adjustment, Less Pathology, Better Grades, and Interpersonal Success. Journal of Personality, 72: 271-324

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working on the tasks efficiently.117 Students’ self-regulation may be assumed to have played an

important role while adapting to this novel schooling situation.118 Considering longer time

frames and longitudinal data, students with better self-regulation abilities have been shown to

achieve better grades and to obtain higher educational attainment overall.119

Less independent learners will need to co-manage the distance environment with a supportive

person. However, for all learners there is a need to develop their “learning to learn”

competence120 and their ability to manage their own learning experience. This may need to be

systematically built up over time and in a shared space, in order to be able to apply their own

strategies for learning in other contexts.

Remote schooling experiences during spring 2020 were studied through a survey with parents

and their children (10-18 years old) in 9 EU countries (Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy,

Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain) in addition to Switzerland and Norway.121 While the

findings show that almost all children who participated in the survey were able to conduct some

school-related activities using digital technologies, the findings also point to large variations in

terms of how children were able to interact with their teachers in learning activities and how

often children were in contact with their teachers through online means. In addition to learning

activities provided by the school, parents also engaged in complementary learning activities with

their children, for example by using free of charge online learning material and exercises, such as

video recordings and online quizzes. Families voiced the need for better guidelines on how to

support children with distance education activities and how to support the child psychologically

during the confinement. Parents also expressed their need for more counselling and

psychological support.

The school may encounter pupil issues of well-being, stress and emotional difficulties related to

the distance (home or other) environment including lack of appropriate space for learning.

European data on the proportion of children living in low-quality housing and with poor diets

may give some indication of where learning outside of school may be very difficult.122 Whilst

117 Huber, S.G., and Helm, C. (2020) COVID-19 and schooling: evaluation, assessment and accountability in times of crises—reacting quickly to explore key issues for policy, practice and research with the school barometer. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 32, 237–270 118 Tangney, J.P., Baumeister, R.F. and Boone, A.L. (2004), High Self‐Control Predicts Good Adjustment, Less Pathology, Better Grades, and Interpersonal Success. Journal of Personality, 72: 271-324 119 de Ridder, D.T.D, Lensvelt-Mulders, G., Finkenauer, C., Stok, F.M., and Baumeister, R.F. (2012) Taking Stock of Self-Control: A Meta-Analysis of How Trait Self-Control Relates to a Wide Range of Behaviors, Personality and Social Psychology Review, 16(1), pp.76-99 120 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports/lifecomp-european-framework-personal-social-and-learning-learn-key-competence 121 Vuorikari, R., Velicu, A., Chaudron, S., Cachia, R. and Di Gioia, R. (2020) How families handled emergency remote schooling during the Covid-19 lockdown in spring 2020, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. ISBN 978-92-76-24519-3 (online), doi:10.2760/31977 (online) 122 Di Pietro, G., Biagi, F., Costa P., Karpiński Z., Mazza, J. (2020) The likely impact of COVID-19 on education: Reflections based on the existing literature and recent international datasets: JRC Technical Report. Available at https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC121071/jrc121071.pdf

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such assumptions are not always fact, these circumstances are certainly of grave concern and

may have worsened during the pandemic.

In the 2021 student consultation, some students said they enjoy the flexibility and comfort of

learning from home. Some considered home to have a quieter more relaxing atmosphere than the

classroom, such as being able to listen to music when learning, and with more freedom to

manage their time.

“They can decide time for studying, they can follow their own

rhythm/pace in studying” (Teacher)

As with other learning environments, noise can be distracting, in particular when other siblings

are present, or simply the feeling of wishing to do other activities or spend time with family. A

number of students report said they could feel more isolated from immediate teacher support.

Tools: types and access

Types of tool

The learning design can incorporate a full variety of learning tools – including books, craft

tools, analogue scientific equipment, and sports equipment. All of this can create rich learning

experiences that require - and develop - different competences.

Teachers may include the use of digital technology in their learning design to connect learners

with: other learners; learning software; and other sources of information. This can improve

inclusiveness, competence development and can personalise learning. Online learning can take

place anywhere where the learner can use a device to connect to the Internet. Digital devices do

not have to be connected to the Internet – for example using a video camera to make a film, or

simply reading and writing documents.

A recent study examining the multimedia platform Shujazz showed that youth exhibited positive

behaviour changes after receiving targeted content through comics, social media, and SMS.

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Building in student responses to these mechanisms has the added advantage of supporting critical

data collection.123

During 2020, numerous countries activated broadcast media (television and radio) to provide

learning content and experiences for school pupils.124 As this can be an effective tool to support

content delivery to a mass audience, it can be considered inclusive. It may then allow teachers

and schools to use other tools (or none at all) during interactive and expressive tasks – through

speaking, writing, drawing, making - as part of a meaningful learning experience.

In the 2021 consultation, students were directly asked about watching a film or video as a task.

The majority (77%) said that they would prefer to watch at home (47%) or both at home and

school (30%), or school (23%). A TV or large PC screen is preferable (73%) and the students

reported that this is because of the size of the screen and the ability to see and hear better. Some

also appreciate the easy use of their own mobile devices to watch videos and tutorials which are

informative and memorable.

Students were directly asked what tools they like to use if not using books and pens. The

dominant response was a preference for using digital tools, such as a computer, tablet or mobile

phone. They like to use the Internet, and referred to the use of digital tools for taking notes,

doing quizzes and watching educational videos. Other, less frequently mentioned tools were:

encyclopedias and maps, “realia” (real life objects), and other applications. They gave practical

reasons for multi-function and lightweight tools to avoid having to carry around many heavy

books. Their choice of tool is influenced by what they find “more interesting” and motivating.

They like to use their phones. They like to be connected with others, which also includes looking

at the same screen to discuss and work together, not necessarily individually. One student

expresses a particular desire for manual tools for creating:

“I can touch, I can see, I can do and make in labs.” (Teacher

reporting on student response)

Teachers also reported that many students express a preference for more use of devices,

including a projector or interactive whiteboard, digital books. The students gave several reasons

to support their desire for an increased use of digital tools:

The Internet enables them to conduct more research and it is enjoyable. Many students

(from different schools) referred to the amount of information that is available and easy

to search for on a digital device and via the Internet compared to a book;

Tablets and computers are simple to use and enables them to understand concepts more

easily;

123 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2020/08/07/taking-distance-learning-offline-lessons-learned-from-navigating-the-digital-divide-during-covid-19/ 124 See https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech/brief/how-countries-are-using-edtech-to-support-remote-learning-

during-the-covid-19-pandemic

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Students are aware of the way software and the use of a keyboard can help them organise

and express their ideas quicker and with greater accuracy. They refer to being able to

“type faster than they write”, to organise content, and use a spell checker;

Digital tools have a practical benefit of storing their work and having less to carry around

in their heavy bags;

Digital tools are “normal” and schools should reflect the “workplace of the future”.

Some pictures showed comfortable classroom furniture and no heavy bag as resources are

electronic (therefore lightweight). A number of pictures showed each student having their own

device, which was described as beneficial.

Figure 14: Student drawing of a classroom with comfortable furniture and one device per student

Digital tools can also help teachers to accomplish daily classroom tasks such as grading,

homework assignment, and collection of classwork, student discussions, parent interaction,

attendance, and an online class calendar.

Effectively blending classroom-based teaching with distanced learning requires an easy method

to share resources. When lesson plan and resources (i.e. videos, links, and audio) are available

online, students can access them according to their own schedules and location. Learner

Management Systems (LMS) can help to sustain contact with the teachers and the classmates,

reduce paperwork, and ensure continuity in the education process. If children are allowed to

follow their own programme they can more easily switch between different systems (host

schools abroad, temporary home-schooling). Privacy and accessibility should be considered,

especially where different teachers (sometimes from different countries) need to access to the

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data of one specific child. Research also highlights that further promotion and development of

Learner Management Systems is needed to reap their full benefits.125

EXAMPLE E: Using online platforms to support communication between learning

environments

In Switzerland, REALTO is an online learning platform that aims to bridge between Vocational

Education and Training contexts. Learners can use free mobile applications to capture learning

experiences through photos, videos, audio, and texts in the workplace. Selected experiences can

be shared with peers, teachers, and supervisors while other entries can be kept private.

https://www.epfl.ch/labs/chili/dualt/current-projects/realto/

In Latvia, MyKOOB is used for online school organisation and communication. The main goals

are to increase parents' awareness of the processes taking place in the school, to structure

children's school processes, to make it easier for teachers to prepare reports and to automate the

daily work of the school.

https://www.mykoob.lv/?index/parmykoob

Moodle is an example of a free, online Learning Management system enabling educators to

create their own private website filled with dynamic courses that can support learning wherever

the students and teachers physically are. It has a range of functions, including dashboard, forums,

and file management, plus the ability to track student progress. It has many international

language versions available. Testimonies from school leaders as early as 2008 describe how

using Moodle has changed the pedagogy – the understanding and practice of teaching and

learning – of the school.

https://moodle.org/

Access to tools

Digital technology, in particular those tools that can connect the learner to information and to

other learners (and their teachers) via the Internet, open up new possibilities and opportunities.

Many examples were witnessed during Emergency Remote Teaching. As blended learning often

requires that learning tasks transcend different environments over a period of time it is likely to

require online tools, as a way of recording and sharing ideas and experiences.

125 Raza, S.A. et al (2021) Social Isolation and Acceptance of the Learning Management System (LMS) in the time of COVID-19

Pandemic: An Expansion of the UTAUT Model, Journal of Educational Computing Research, 59 (2), pp. 183-208. Accessed at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0735633120960421

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A blended learning approach will face similar challenges to some of those experienced by many

schools during 2020, namely of ensuring equal access by all teachers and learners. The

availability of appropriate IT devices, and Internet connection with sufficient bandwidth may be

a challenge for economically disadvantaged families.

The challenge of ensuring access to tools is not restricted to digital devices. Anecdotal evidence

during the pandemic shared on social media included examples of learners not having writing or

drawing equipment at home and schools or local organisations sending “learning packs” of

paper, pens and other resources to families who could not afford to provide them.126

Over the past decade, concerns have also been raised repeatedly about the lack of adequate

sports equipment and opportunities in some schools127, although European funding has

supported many projects in Member States to address this.128

In order to effectively embed the use of digital tools in the learning design, every teacher and

learner, and anyone else supporting the learning process, will need access to dependable

analogue and digital devices, a reliable infrastructure (including broadband and Wi-Fi for online

learning) and knowledgeable support staff to assist teachers and learners to use online resources

effectively.

Participation in blended learning requires access to relevant technology (e.g., computer or a

similar device, reliable internet connection, but also a camera, microphone, a printer or a

scanner) and skills to use the technology efficiently for learning purposes. To learn from home,

students also need a proper learning environment at home; a comfortable space, such as their

own room or desk, where they can concentrate on studying.

126 For example, learning resource packs were sent to some disadvantaged families in the UK. See https://twitter.com/sairskay/status/1365725020186583043?s=09 127 European Parliament (2016) Physical education in EU schools. Briefing Paper. Available at https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/593559/EPRS_BRI(2016)593559_EN.pdf 128 European Commission (2019) Sport 2019 – Description of the projects selected for funding. Available at https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/sites/eacea-site/files/sport_compendium_2019.pdf

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Figure 15: Percentage of households with broadband internet access, 2019 129

Available evidence suggests that families with children aged 15 or younger have, on average,

better access to digital technology at home than the average household (see Figure 8), but there

are still substantial inequalities based on socio-economic status130. Also, students from socio-

economically disadvantaged families are less likely to have their own room and are more likely

to live in a small space shared with other family members (ibid).

In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, ongoing concerns regarding unequal access to digital

devices came to the fore. While connectivity has dramatically increased in recent years,

according to Eurostat, 12% of households in the EU-27 still do not broadband internet access.131

During the COVID-19 pandemic some 826 million students (50%) did not have access to a

computer at home, according to a study by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS) and the

Teacher Task Force.132 It is estimated that at the peak of the crisis, almost 1.6 billion children in

129 Eurostat “Households with broadband access.” Latest data available at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-datasets/-/TIN00073 130 Di Pietro, G., Biagi, F., Costa, P., Karpiński, Z., and Mazza, J., (2020), The likely impact of COVID-19 on education: Reflections based on the existing literature and recent international datasets, p. 14-17. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union (2020), JRC121071, available at: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/likely-impact-covid-19-education-reflections-based-existing-literature-and-recent-international 131 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Digital_economy_and_society_statistics_-_households_and_individuals 132 https://en.unesco.org/news/learning-through-radio-and-television-time-covid-19

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195 countries worldwide, could not access their classrooms. Around 706 million students lack

internet access and 56 million live in areas not covered by mobile networks. Many countries had

to quickly find effective solutions and television and radio have proven to be a good alternative

in a context where connecting to schools and teachers is not possible via the Internet.

The use of digital tools in 2020

A survey on 8-18 years old learners during the COVID-19 pandemic “lockdown” in spring 2020

(Figure 15 below) shows that a variety of digital tools were used. The results show that more

students had access to chat and video conferencing tools (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams,

Hangouts, Skype, and WebEx) than to dedicated digital learning environments. Whereas video

conferencing tools served the purpose of maintaining ‘face-to-face’ contact and live teaching

sessions, it is worth noting that their pedagogical affordances are not extensive and they seldom

encourage learner-centered pedagogical models. This has led to the belief that paying attention to

learners’ screen time should become more central to remote schooling practices in the future to

help achieve a better balance between screen time and off-screen activities. Focusing on distance

learning practices that allow for better peer-learning and collaboration among learners, but also

on inspirational off-screen activities, are also believed to be important.

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Figure 16: Tools used for Emergency Remote Teaching during spring 2020

Evidence from the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-27 open public consultation (2020)

shows that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, around 65% of respondents (across all levels of

education) observed an increase in the use of distance and online learning. This happened both

‘in real time’ (e.g. live online classes) and ‘in one’s own time’ (e.g. watching videos of recorded

lectures, consulting online learning materials, using MOOCs), with the former rising more than

the latter. An increase in the provision of digital equipment/tools to study or work from home

(e.g. tablets or laptops) and of learning content via television and radio was also observed.

Over half (around 57%) of respondents declared they had not used distance or online learning

before the crisis, have done so during the crisis, while almost all (96%) respondents who already

used distance online learning before the crisis plan to continue doing so after the crisis.

Interestingly, around 80% of both teachers and education and training staff plan to take new

initiatives/courses/training to improve their digital skills and competences in the future.

Interactivity and user friendliness are consistently identified by learners, teachers, parents and

education and training staff as the most relevant characteristic for online learning resources and

content. Respondents from these four groups also place high value on the quality and relevance

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of the content, recognised by national authorities, and on the fact that the content should respond

to the need to develop skills further and the needs of the labour market.

Attitudes and concerns relating to the use of digital tools

The Digital Education Action Plan 2021-27 open public consultation (2020) revealed many of

the attitudes and experiences of the education community. For blending the use of digital tools to

guarantee more even, and better, pedagogical and social outcomes, three key issues arise:

1. Firstly, more work is needed to strengthen and streamline the availability and use of digital

learning tools and activities for effective educational outcomes in the future. More screen-

time and online activities do not necessarily equate with better learning. The use of

conventional learning aids (e.g. paper-based textbooks, educational TV and inspirational

educational off-screen activities) could form a key part of the education ecosystem in the

future. Achieving an appropriate balance between screen time and off-screen activities is a

question for the learning design – for competence development, equity (considering those

with reduced access), and well-being.

2. Secondly, a teacher’s pedagogical practice and choice of learning task play a key role, too.

Strengthening teacher digital competence is important, for example to improve distance

learning tasks that allow better peer-learning and collaboration among learners. Self-

assessment tools such as the forthcoming SELFIE tool for Teachers and the European Digital

Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu) can help (see Chapter 4 for more on

these tools).

3. Measures should be in place to guarantee the safety of teachers and learners online. Data

collection should be compliant with data protection rules.133 The accessibility of proposed

tools and content should be adaptable for learners with Special Educational Needs. This

includes possible language-related obstacles for children whose home language is different to

that of school. For the safety of learners, it may be necessary to review the set-up of secure

passwords and logins as well as filters for the use of internet content. IT Infrastructure

providers offer many security options and filters that allow educators to block problematic

apps and websites. There is also an added responsibility to ensure adherence to data

protection laws. When using software, schools will need to follow clear guidance on what

access private organisations have to student and staff data.

“Thought needs to be given to the education technology market

and how to make it work better for education.” (Vocational

Education and Training expert)

During the open public consultation, teachers, education and training staff, education and

training institutions, learners and parents (among others) were asked about their evaluation of the

measures implemented by their education or training institution (or the education or training

institution for which they are responsible) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, the 133 For guidance, see https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection_en

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evaluation of such measures tends to differ across groups. Educators, and education and training

staff tend to be more positive, while learners and parents are more sceptical. In fact, around 50%

of leaners and parents declare the need for better interaction, instruction, guidance and

communication from teachers and schools. Parents also report that their child(ren) had a

particularly bad experience with motivation to learn, examination/assessment and feedback, and

quality of online learning content (66%, 52.3%, and 49.1%, respectively). Education and training

institutions also reported that they would have liked to have received more guidance on how to

support mental health and well-being of staff and learners (around 40%) while teachers state that

they would have welcomed more training and guidance on how to adapt the class material and

teaching methodology to distance and online learning (around 35%).

Considering the future use of digital tools, there seems to be a consensus amongst experts and

researchers that clearly identifying the purpose of using education technology is of paramount

importance, with levels described in the “SAMR” model, developed by Puentedura:

Figure 17: SAMR model defining different levels of integrating educational technology 134

Nevertheless, the motivation or decision to use digital tools may be based on the availability of

digital content. If the teaching materials themselves are not easily accessible or low/no cost,

then the teacher or school may not be persuaded to blend the use of digital tools. School

134 Original graphic available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_SAMR_Model.jpg

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education systems are increasingly aware of this and have a range of online platforms135 that

signpost and collate information and teaching materials.

EXAMPLE F: “Scholaris” portal for teachers in Poland

Scholaris is a knowledge portal for teachers with free electronic learning resources tailored to all

stages of education. The materials available on the portal are in line with the new core

curriculum and compatible with all interactive whiteboards and other devices supporting the

teacher's work, e.g. tablets. The portal aims to support teachers in preparing engaging and

interactive classes by providing them with ready-made and tested educational materials. Using

the portal is free of charge.

Scholaris is addressed to teachers of all stages of education (from kindergarten to upper

secondary schools), but also to students who want to deepen their knowledge and develop their

practice. Currently, the portal contains almost 28,000 interactive materials, helpful in the

implementation of content from all lesson subjects, at various educational levels. These are

lesson plans, exercises, texts, animations, slides, simulations, didactic games, and films. It offers

resources tailored to the different needs of children and young people, including resources to

help educate 3, 4, 5 and 6-year-olds.

Scholaris is a project implemented by the Education Development Centre under the Human

Capital Operational Program, Priority III, Measure 3.3, Sub-measure 3.3.3, co-financed by the

European Social Fund.

Scholaris is also part of the government programme to develop students 'and teachers'

competences in the use of information and communication technologies - Digital School.

https://portal.scholaris.pl/

The competence to use digital tools

The qualitative analysis of the open-ended questions of the Digital Education Action Plan open

public consultation gives a picture of parents overwhelmed, educators lacking competences and

struggling to ensure a structured process while keeping up student engagement, learners lacking

social/human interaction and, in some cases, missing devices and connectivity.

A survey found that during the spring lockdown 2020, the majority of parents estimated that their

child had gained new digital competence in using digital technologies for online school activities

(Figure 15, first row).136 Attributes such as gaining autonomy in using digital technologies, being

135 A list of national sites with information and materials was published on the School Education Gateway in April 2020 to help teachers working from home to access online content: https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/latest/news/european-national-websites.htm 136 Vuorikari, R., Velicu, A., Chaudron, S., Cachia, R. and Di Gioia, R. (2020) How families handled emergency remote schooling during the Covid-19 lockdown in spring 2020, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. ISBN 978-92-76-24519-3 (online), doi:10.2760/31977 (online)

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able to conduct various online schooling activities and being able to help others in digital

activities are all encompassed in the progression of one’s level of digital competence.137

Figure 18: Parent's perceptions of children's learning skills during spring 2020

Any web-based tools or platforms138 should be suitable and relevant to pupils' age as well as

intuitive and user friendly. Further, as regards digital skills, young people are in general more

digitally competent, on average, than the general population139, but again, there are considerable

differences among students based on the socio-economic situation of their parents.140 Moreover,

there is evidence that the socio- economic gap is greater for high-level digital competences (i.e.,

computational thinking) than for general computer literacy (ibid).

137 Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (2017). DigComp 2.1: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens with eight proficiency levels and examples of use. Carretero, S.; Vuorikari, R. and Punie, Y. doi:10.2760/388 138 See, for example, https://www.slant.co/topics/12425/~virtual-classroom-platforms-for-teachers 139 According to Eurostat’s Community Survey on the ICT use in households and by Individuals. Individuals aged 16 to 19 are the youngest age group for whom data are systematically available from all participating countries. Data on individuals aged 15 or less are available for a small number of countries. 140 Karpiński,Z., Di Pietro, G., Biagi, F., Digital skills, test effort and socio-economic status: an analysis of ICILS 2018 data,

forthcoming.

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Figure 19: Percentage of individuals with “basic or above basic” digital skills among young people (16

to 19 years of age), 2019, as compared with the general population 141

Research into the eTwinning online community of European teachers and schools highlighted

that teachers reported a greater confidence and competence than some of their (non-eTwinning)

peers to cope with the transition to Emergency Remote Teaching, including increased online

teaching. This is due to their familiarity with the tools that are regularly used by these teachers to

engage in professional development and run their own projects with other teachers and pupils.

Similarly, research on the European Commission’s School Education Gateway Teacher

Academy, which offers professional development courses and webinars, reports on the positive

impact of participation in MOOCs.142 Teachers reported to be more confident with digital tools

and to make changes to their teaching practice that had a positive impact on the engagement and

learning outcomes of pupils.

141 Eurostat data - Individuals' level of digital skills. Latest data available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/isoc_sk_dskl_i/default/table?lang=en 142 European Commission (2020) The impact of participation in Teacher Academy online courses on the practice and identity of teachers: a research study. Available at: https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/downloads/webinars/PAB%20Online%20Event/Teacher%20Academy_Research%20Report_2020_Final.pdf

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One Erasmus project (see example below) noted the lack of experience and understanding that

teachers have with digital tools and created videos, eBooks and an app, MILAGE LEARN+, in

order to support the blending of digital tools within mathematics.

EXAMPLE G: Interactive mathematics by implementing blended learning

The leaders of this European project began with the understanding that students are the

generation of digital games and social networks and that, therefore, it is wise to consider the

integration of digital media and mobile devices, allowing students to set personal goals, to

manage educational content and to communicate with others in the right context. The project

leaders also understood that low-achieving students that may struggle to learn the materials

covered in class, can study and repeat the materials as many times as they may need to learn.

Worksheets of mathematics problems were organised in eBooks and in the app MILAGE

LEARN+ that was developed. The project trained 140 teachers of mathematics in Portugal to use

the platform and in 2018 reported that 11 000 students are using the MILAGE LEARN+ app.

Around 2 000 problems and videos resolutions from the 1st to the 12th grade for mathematics are

now available, as well as around 200 problems and videos resolutions for Portuguese, Natural

Sciences, Spanish, English, French, Chemistry and Physics for different grades.

This was an Erasmus+ funded partnership project between Portugal, Spain, Norway and Turkey.

The project signed an agreement with the Portuguese High Commissioner for Migration to

support 50 000 students from disadvantage backgrounds, and with the Portuguese Ministry of

Education to disseminate the app in all schools in Portugal.

http://milage.ualg.pt/

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have the potential to help students to better

visualise abstract scientific concepts143, such as the human anatomy or food chains, by rendering

them as fully 3D models that can be overlaid over the real world. Students can interact, turn and

study a model as much as they wish; teachers can then direct students to certain parts of the

model, provide additional pointers or facts, and assign tasks based on the model – finding a

human organ in relation to the position of the liver, for example. Through virtual headsets,

students are also free to experiment with virtual chemicals144 and see the results instantly. AR

apps on mobile devices are also increasingly available, enabling learners to explore the solar

system145, understand geometry in 3D146 and learn the life cycles of plants.147 Teachers can also

143 https://educationblog.microsoft.com/en-us/2018/06/digital-learning-distraction-or-default-for-the-future/ 144 https://www.schellgames.com/games/superchem-vr 145 http://amazingspacejourney.com/#explore

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create their own AR applications, such as scavenger hunt adventures148 that incorporate group

work and problem solving activities.

Tasks: how learning takes place

Types of tasks

The environments - where learning will take place – and the tools – the artefacts with which

learning is facilitated – are combined within learning tasks. As part of the design, schools and

teachers use their professional judgement to consider what kinds of learning tasks are appropriate

for their learners; how they will be embedded in a process; and how learning will be assessed.

Teachers need to consider the benefits of blending teacher-led and pupil-led tasks. They decide

when it is best for learners to be collaborative in group or whole class tasks and when they might

do individual tasks. Tasks might be, for example, about sourcing information, practising a skill,

solving a problem, taking a quiz to see how far they have progressed, developing personal

attitudes.

In the 2021 student consultation, some students pointed out that lessons should be used for

interaction and explanations by the teacher. Even watching videos together can be enjoyable and

can be complemented by discussion, the opportunity to ask questions, and “it’s a good way to

share a point of view” (student opinion described by their teacher). They also recognise that they

may need help to revise before an assessment. Some students mentioned the need for more “time

to think by ourselves” and go more in-depth on some topics”. Students express a preference for

even more group work.

When ask what they would like more of, a broad range of learning tasks were mentioned by

students, including:

Sport/ physical activities

Oral comprehension, discussion and the opportunity to ask more questions

Experiments

Arts and craft work

Music

Reading and research work

146 https://vrmath.co/ 147 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNQedwQiu8A 148 http://classtechtips.com/2017/10/27/metaverse-classroom-augmented-reality/

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Students are aware of what motivates themselves and others, referring to tools or tasks that are

“more interesting” or more “useful for learning”. Many referred to engagement as supporting

learning, particularly with hands-on activities.

Students are aware of the benefits of different learning tasks, acknowledging that group work can

help them to be more creative and work with others.

“They think that by researching they learn more, discussing

things they build vocabulary and defend better their opinions and

competition e.g. in quizzes is much more fun.” (Teacher)

They reportedly respond well to different visual stimuli, such as content projected on a screen or

part of a video. Students seem aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, saying that exercise

is important.

Even though they made many suggestions in their survey reponses, some students said that they

are happy with how learning was currently designed or that lessons are hard and they already

work hard enough. On the other hand, some said that they would like to learn more, suggesting

that, in the context of the survey questions, they felt that a different learning design might

achieve more.

Designing the learning process

Figure 20: Six learning types 149

149 ABC Learning Design method by Clive Young and Nataša Perović, University College London (2015) is licensed under CC BY NC SA 4.0. https://abc-ld.org/6-learning-types/

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Varied tasks, such as described within Diana Laurillard’s six learning types150 are already being

considered by some schools who are in the early stages of developing a blended learning

approach.

This work supports the opinions expressed by the students, as well as the concept of teachers as

“designers” as well as “facilitators” of learning.151

Teachers as designers is an idea also incorporated in SELFIE for Teachers152. In supporting

teachers towards the development of their digital competence for blended learning approaches,

an expert teacher (B2 proficiency level) has the capacity to analyse digital technologies based on

their affordances and employ them in his/her learning designs to support distance learning, while

a leader teacher (C1 proficiency level) can reflect on and redesign teaching and learning for

distance learning contexts to ensure students’ active involvement in the learning process within

and beyond the classroom (e.g. online learning, blended learning, hybrid learning, virtual labs,

online collaborative tools, synchronous and asynchronous activities, individual and team work).

Moreover, an innovator teacher (C2 proficiency level) involves his/her students through the

whole process as well as engaging them in innovative activities, e.g. “My students and I

contribute to exploring and finding innovative and creative solutions to real world challenges

beyond our school”.

Empowering teachers to become learning designers and to additionally engage students in the

design for learning as an additional benefit to the learner’s competence development153 may be a

desirable goal for a school or whole system.

There is a need to understand learning theories when reflecting on designing for learning.154 It

was believed to be the case that learning is seen as something which results in the personal

acquisition of knowledge and skills. Rather less attention had been paid to other conceptions of

learning, such as ‘learning as participation’ or ‘knowledge creation’.155 Research suggests that

these are important concepts to appreciate within blended learning given that learners may be

engaging more in self-directed learning in combination with learning tasks where the teacher

may take more of a lead or structured approach to introduce new concepts and skills.

150 Laurillard, D. et al (2018) Using technology to develop teachers as designers of TEL: Evaluating the learning designer. British Journal of Educational Technology, October 2018. Available at: https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjet.12697#:~:text=The%20six%20learning%20types%20are,peers%2C%20at%20the%20concept%20and%2F 151 https://www.herdsa.org.au/system/files/HERDSARHE2015v02p27.pdf 152 SELFIE for Teachers https://digcompedu.jrc.es 153 Wasson, B. & Kirschner, P. (2020) Learning Design: European Approaches. TechTrends, 64. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341356040_Learning_Design_European_Approaches 154 Ertmer, P. & Newby, T. (2008) Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6, pp.50 - 72. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229494297_Behaviorism_Cognitivism_Constructivism_Comparing_Critical_Features_From_an_Instructional_Design_Perspective 155 Paavola, S. et al (2004) Models of Innovative Knowledge Communities and Three Metaphors of Learning. Review of Educational Research, 74 (4). Available at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/00346543074004557

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If there is a system-wide need to support teachers in this design then opportunities for

professional development will need to be identified, as was the case from the early stages of the

pandemic. One of the obvious and prevailing concerns of teachers is that sufficient time – as core

working hours – and resources for the whole school to develop, monitor, assess, and adjust

strategies, and to deliver learning support, should be set aside for this important design aspect of

their work.

Nevertheless, stakeholders believe that one of the main advantages of digital technology lies in

its flexibility and capacity to allow learning at one’s own pace, as well as to implement

innovative and engaging ways of learning and teaching (as stated in the Digital Education Action

Plan open public consultation).

The learning event as part of the process

Figure 18 (below) shows how teachers can redesign learning so that the time they spend with

students live, either in a classroom or in a virtual live online classroom, is no longer dedicated

solely to content acquisition but is now reimagined for the purpose of dialogue and deliberation.

In this way the live events, where the teacher and learners are together at the same time, can

support more active forms of learning where students and teachers collaborate, deliberate and

share their work with one another. Teachers are able to reduce the amount of time they spend on

‘delivering’ or ‘covering’ content in class and using the live sessions - either online, in class, or

in another environment - for building understanding and relationships.

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Figure 21: Blended learning as a process of before, during and after the live/shared learning event

Online opportunities

Some schools have been including online learning to enable students to engage with digital

content on their own and or with peers during school site learning, or in advance of school-site

lessons. Naturally, there has been an increase of this approach on a massive scale with

restrictions on school-site learning.

Nevertheless, while the focus has typically been on simply combining school-site teaching and

online learning by the same pupils at a distance, researchers call for a more “thoughtful fusion of

… online learning experiences”.156 The purpose is not to simply do more of the same kind of

learning online that would be done together in the classroom. There is a growing expectation that

online learning should enhance or improve the experience for the learner when working without

connecting online and/or learning in a shared space157. It is noted that future research is needed

to better understand the variation in the experience of the learning of the student in the blended

learning context.

156 Garrison, D. R., & Vaughan, N. (2008). Blended learning in higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Cited in Cleveland-Innes, M. and Wilton, D. (2018) Guide to Blended Learning, Burnaby: Commonwealth of Learning .Available at: http://oasis.col.org/handle/11599/3095 157 Oliver, M. & Trigwell, K. (2005). Can 'Blended Learning' Be Redeemed?. E-learning, 2. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/250151886_Can_'Blended_Learning'_Be_Redeemed

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It is understood that, in an effective learning experience (one that achieves its desired learning

outcomes), the content and activities of both online learning and other approaches are integrated

with one another and work toward the same learning outcomes with the same content. The

various learning experiences are synthesised, and may be designed to complement each other,

and are planned or orchestrated to run in parallel. In terms of impact, many findings on blended

online and off-line activities show an increase in learners’ ability to learn collaboratively, think

creatively, study independently and tailor their own learning experiences to meet their individual

needs.158

“By experimenting with these different ways of teaching it

becomes obvious that the students need, like any human being,

but even more because their brains are in full maturity, to meet

other young people to confront their way of thinking and above

all to create links.” (Teacher)

A well-established use of online learning tasks has been in the field of languages education.

According to the OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), foreign language

teachers are more likely than other teachers to use technology in their classrooms and as part of

their lessons.159 By integrating technology in their teaching, foreign language teachers are able to

play a key role in connecting students and schools of other language communities. Both the

eTwinning community and Erasmus programme have numerous examples of the use of the

Internet to bring together classes from schools in different countries, to gain practice in using the

language that is being learnt and to exchange other cultural information.160

The European Centre for Modern Languages and its Professional Network Forum conducted a

large Europe-wide study among language teachers in an attempt to draw conclusions about the

future of language education based on lessons learned during the pandemic. As expected, the

pandemic has had significant impact on timings, methods & techniques, phases of lessons,

assessment, welfare (stress) and increasing gaps between those doing well and those falling

behind. However, 55% believe they have been able to maintain the quality & variety of learners’

/ students’ language learning experiences, and their achievement. The results point towards an

equilibrium between the positives gained from the experience and the challenges still to be faced.

The greatest single finding was on the positive lessons learned from adapting to change.161

“I've learned that 1) teachers and learners can adapt to any

environment when in need. 2) technology is an integral part of

our daily lives and of education as well. 3) when we learn to use

158 http://oasis.col.org/handle/11599/3095 159 Covacevic, C & Vargas, J (2020) How might the coronavirus crisis be affecting foreign language teachers OECD Education and Skills Today available at https://oecdedutoday.com/coronavirus-foreign-language-teachers/ 160 Resources and examples on Erasmus+ and multilingualism can be accessed via https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/news/20170919-multilingual-classrooms-erasmus-help-teachers_en 161 https://www.ecml.at/ECML-Programme/Programme2020-2023/Thefutureoflanguageeducation/tabid/5491/Default.aspx

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new methods of e-teaching, we have a great tool in our hands.

Teaching can be motivating, interesting, pleasant, free of

stress.” (Teacher)

Online learning can be beneficial where students wish to study a subject for which there is no

dedicated teacher within the school. One such example is the Gaeltacht e-Hub Pilot Project in

Ireland (see example below).

EXAMPLE H: Online learning to support learning in a native language or where there are staff

shortages

Image: https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2019/0401/1039923-gaeltacht-e-hub/

The Gaeltacht e-Hub Pilot Project is a 3-year programme of the Irish Department (Ministry) of

Education which began in 2019. The aim is to support students from the Gaeltacht (Irish-

speaking areas) to access subjects not available to them at school due to lack of a suitably

qualified teacher.

In the pilot programme, Higher Level Physics was offered to students from eight Irish-

medium schools, including three island schools. Two online teachers based in other (also Irish-

medium schools) taught the classes online and the students were assisted by an e-Mentor at their

school. The e-Mentor was always present during the lessons to support students and attended a

weekly review meeting with the online teacher. Students also attended a practical hands-on

learning day at the National University of Ireland, Galway to supplement their learning.

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An independent review of the pilot project from March 20212 showed the experience of the pilot

project to be highly successful. It commended “the strong blend of pastoral and academic

support both online and in the classroom; and the well-established collaborative relationships

for learning which have developed within the online learning environment”.

The online teachers and e-Mentors worked collaboratively to prepare and manage class time and

to update parents and other stakeholders. They adapted lesson plans and teaching strategies to

meet the requirements of an online learning environment. According to the evaluation, there is

potential for more extensive online collaboration across Irish-medium secondary schools in Irish-

speaking areas and beyond.

Independent evaluation published 2021: https://www.education.ie/en/The-Education-

System/Policy-on-Gaeltacht-Education-2017-2022/independent-evaluation-of-the-gaeltacht-e-

hub-pilot-project.pdf

Personalised and peer learning

Blended learning, if appropriately designed, offers the potential to proactively support learners in

their specific needs, increase their motivation and ability to work autonomously.

“It’s widely recognized that real and meaningful learning occurs

in the classroom only when curriculum goes beyond rote

memorization and lecture-based instruction. We believe that the

same approach should be applied to distance learning.”

(Perspective of an international education organisation)162

Project Based Learning (PBL) is an opportunity to enable a learning experience to feel more

meaningful and relevant to the learner. By its design it is active and student-directed. The basic

principle of PBL requires students to work on a real-world and open-ended problem by solving

projects over the specific period of time, while demonstrating their knowledge and skills.

Finally, their solution or product is presented to an audience for critical peer feedback. By using

PBL, students can have a better sense of how their developing knowledge and skills can be

applied.163 When designing learning, care must be taken to be realistic in terms of the

individual’s capacity to manage their own learning if much of the work is to be at a distance or

individually.164

162 Amporo, A. and Nabbuye, H. (2020) Taking distance learning ‘offline’: Lessons learned from navigating the digital divide during COVID-19. Availale at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2020/08/07/taking-distance-learning-offline-lessons-learned-from-navigating-the-digital-divide-during-covid-19/ 163 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334291542_Enhancement_of_students'_skills_via_project-based_learning 164 http://www.oecd.org/site/schoolingfortomorrowknowledgebase/themes/demand/41176687.pdf

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“It’s important to understand that my flipped classroom is not

about videos at home and textbook work in class. It is about

easing students’ anxiety by giving them time to work through

problems with their peers and with me. It is about personalizing

the learning space, building relationships with students and

gaining their trust, and being there to support them when they

need me the most” (Perspective of a school education researcher

and teacher165)

Individualised learning plans – i.e. tailored to individual pupils - may help with achieving an

effective complementarity of learning environments, tools and tasks for all pupils, as well as

tailor individual support to pupils with Special Education Needs. This is part of the fundamental

shift to student-centred learning that a blended learning approach can support.

Figure 22: Example of the process of developing a personalised learning plan for a student 166

165 Arnett, T. (2020) The blended learning models that can help schools reopen. https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blog/the-blended-learning-models-that-can-help-schools-reopen/ 166 New South Wales Department of Education “Personalised Learning Pathways (PLPs) for Aboriginal students: Guidelines”. Available at: https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/teaching-and-learning/aec/media/documents/PersonalisedLearningPathways16.pdf

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Extra-curricular activities and non-formal learning

Research as shown that “extracurricular and other organized activities can provide a wide variety

of experiences and more quality interaction among students and between adults and students in

the school, which may become translated into better socioemotional wellbeing and learning

outcomes in children.”

Non-formal learning is that which happens outside of the compulsory curriculum. The

importance and relevance of non-formal learning is evident from the experiences acquired

through youth work, voluntary work, and participating in cultural activities, including grassroots

sport. Non-formal learning plays an important role in supporting the development of essential

interpersonal, communicative and cognitive skills including among other things, creativity, that

facilitate young people's transition to adulthood, active citizenship and working life.167

Identification of new ways of learning includes better cooperation between formal and non-

formal learning settings.168

Nevertheless it is difficult to precisely track the impact of such non-formal learning because the

development of competences is influenced in many ways during childhood. What is certain is

that the opportunity to engage in non-formal activities are often uneven, between those families

who are more affluent or aware of the benefits and those who are not.169

Using a set of questions or a more developed tool, such as the EU’s Youthpass (see example

below) may help to reflect on and formally or informally validate the competences developed.

EXAMPLE I: Youthpass for supporting and recognising non-formal learning

Youthpass is a tool to reflect on, document and recognise learning outcomes from youth work

and solidarity activities. It is available for projects funded by Erasmus+: Youth in Action and

European Solidarity Corps Programmes. It is a part of the European Commission's strategy to

foster the recognition of non-formal learning, putting policy into practice and practice into

policy.

Youthpass makes use of the Key Competences for Lifelong Learning in order to describe and

frame each set of knowledge, skills and attitudes.

While creating their Youthpass certificate together with a support person, Erasmus+ Youth in

Action project and European Solidarity Corps participants are given the possibility to describe

what they have done in their project and which competences they have acquired. Thus,

167 Council Conclusions on the role of youth work in supporting young people's development of essential life skills that facilitate their successful transition to adulthood, active citizenship and working life (2017). Available at: http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9624-2017-INIT/en/pdf 168 Council conclusions on maximising the role of grassroots sport in developing transversal skills, especially among young people - 2015/C 172/03. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C:2015:172:FULL&from=EN 169 Metsäpelto, Riitta-Leena & Pulkkinen, Lea. (2015). The benefits of extracurricular activities for socioemotional behavior and school achievement in middle childhood: An overview of the research. Journal of Educational Research Online. 6. 10-33.

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Youthpass supports the reflection upon the personal non-formal learning process and

outcomes.

As a Europe-wide recognition instrument for non-formal learning in the youth field, Youthpass

strengthens the social recognition of youth work.

https://www.youthpass.eu/en/

https://www.youthpass.eu/downloads/13-62-420/Leaflet%20-

%20revised%20key%20competences.pdf

“Non-formal education stresses the importance of enjoying

learning which is fundamental to foster meaningful experiences

… Non-formal education deploys assessment methods … mainly

to support learning and develop skills in the learner as opposed to

measuring performance.” (European student organisation)

The shared responsibility of parents and guardians

The involvement of parents in “homework” (additional tasks to complement or complete tasks

done in school lessons) is not likely to be equal in all families170 and one may assume the same

to be true even after the long period of school-site closure. It is assumed that parental support

was particularly necessary when students experienced self-regulation difficulties during learning,

with parents having to fill in for teachers who usually provided extra support in classroom

lessons. In the open public consultation for the Digital Education Action Plan, around a half of

parents stated that they would have welcomed more regular interaction, instruction and guidance

from teachers as well as more regular and clear communication, guidance and support from the

educational institutions of their child(ren).

Consideration and transparent guidelines should be given to how much support/supervision is

expected of parents and guardians. The level of support may depend on a range of factors: the

educational level, language competences and digital skills of parents; time available (balanced

with employment, several young children); and the relationship between parent and child. Extra

support may be required where parents and guardians are less able to structure the learning of

young children themselves, for instance where the parents do not speak the language of

schooling to the necessary level.

170 Maša Đurišić and Mila Bunijevac (2007), Parental Involvement as an Important Factor for Successful Education, Centre for Education Policy Studies Journal - Slovenia, 7(3). Accessed at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1156936.pdf

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Figure 23: The roles of different stakeholders in managing the learning environments

Actively involving parents and pupils themselves in designing/assessing/adjusting the learning

tasks may help with the continuity between school site and distance learning environments.

Strategies for active engagement may be offered by parent organisations.171 One example is “The

Parents’ Toolkit” (La mallette des parents), from France, which is not specifically about blended

learning, but it addresses how parents can support their children’s learning, as well as how they

can interact with their child’s school.172

Assessment in blended learning

Assessment practices shape teaching and learning and the focus of assessment at national and

school level dictates which learning tasks and outcomes are valued as important and merit time

and effort.173

Assessment includes:

Formative assessment by the teacher of pupils, and by pupils of themselves (self- and

peer assessment), in order to understand their progression, to identify further learning needs

and to plan next steps;

171 National organisations or international, such as the European Parents Association https://euparents.eu/ and COFACE Families Europe http://www.coface-eu.org/ 172 See “The Parent’s Toolkit”. Available at https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools/detail.cfm?n=430 173 NESET 2017 - https://nesetweb.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/AR1_20172.pdf

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Summative assessment of pupils at the end of a period of study in order to establish an

attainment level (a grade or description), typically done by the teacher and recorded by the

school in a report which is shared with the pupils and their parents (or legal guardians);

Summative assessment of all pupils of a certain age/grade in order to establish

attainment levels in a range of subjects that will lead to awarding one or more

“certificates” or “diplomas”. This may be done by the school, region or national system. It

may include teacher grades. This type of assessment has added significance in that they can

determine the next stage of the learner’s education: to study particular subjects at upper

secondary level; to repeat a year; or the opportunity to enter further education and training or

employment.

Questions were immediately raised in 2020 about both the pedagogical (teaching and learning)

and managerial (process, resources, responsibilities) approach to assessment and final

examinations. Experts argue that, with greater familiarity and acceptance of a variety of existing

approaches, and with forward planning, assessment does not have to be postponed or only take

place on the school site. In fact, changing approaches to assessment may bring about a more

positive shift to self-directed learning and increase the self-evaluation capacity of pupils.174

The experience of remote learning also highlighted the value and role of formative assessment.

Students studying from home expressed concerns that they did not know if they were making

sufficient progress. Transparency of expectations, feedback and opportunities to develop

competences for self- and peer-assessment were valued.175

“It is fundamental that students have their say in how to build

resilient and equitable assessment systems they feel can

adequately support their learning and measure their competences

beyond notionism.” (European student organisation)

High-stakes assessments - for example, those leading to graduation - are typically monitored to

ensure all students take examinations in the same or similar conditions and to prevent cheating.

During the period of school closure, education systems felt unable to ensure these conditions.

Many systems chose to base decisions for school advancement or graduation on teachers'

summative assessments from months prior to school closure. There were several advantages to

this approach -- including recognition of the value of teacher judgement, as well as the advantage

of covering more curriculum requirements in a series of examinations over the year. However,

systems rooted in a culture of final written examinations may find it difficult to change an

approach that is assumed to be the most “fair” assessment of a pupil’s competences.

Assessment approaches should be appropriately aligned with curriculum. For example,

assessment within a competence-based curriculum should capture information on the learners’

174 Inge de Waars - Student Evaluation During and After COVD-19 – EDEN, Wednesday 22 April 2020. www.eden-online.org/student-evaluation-during-and-after-covid-19/ 175 Looney, J. (2020). "The E2030 stakeholders’ surveys on challenges of curriculum delivery during school closure as well as reopening of schools". OECD, Paris.

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capacity to apply knowledge in a specific context, and gather information on processes used to

address a specific task or solve a problem, as well as the outcome of that process.

EXAMPLE J: Assessment of transversal skills: policy experimentation project

Assessment of Transversal Skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

is an innovative policy experimentation project implemented in eight EU countries and involving

a partner network of 12 educational institutions. The project aims to provide teachers and

students with necessary and efficient digital assessment approaches for the development of

students’ transversal skills in STEM education.

Research and development is integrated in the design of the ATS-STEM educational project to

allow decisions to be made based on the evidence gathered throughout the process. The objective

is to analyse the possibilities of digital assessment in the implementation of teaching STEM

skills and competences in European schools. The project includes a review of the latest digital

tools for formative assessment in STEM education. The project activities have been affected by

the pandemic restrictions but have also created a useful focus on tools to support distance

learning.

ATS STEM is co-financed by the ERASMUS+ Programme (Action 3 – Policy Experimentation),

where ministries of education are compulsory partners and national education agencies or

education faculties essential development partners as well as pilot schools. The model will be

developed, implemented and evaluated through a large-scale classroom pilot, leading to policy

recommendations at national and European level for the further transformation of education.

http://www.atsstem.eu/

Discussions with education stakeholders in 2020 led to the formulation of guiding principles for

assessment within blended learning176:

I. Transparency: whichever approaches – both in terms of what outputs may be included in

the assessment and the method (by whom, calculation of marks) by which they are to be

assessed - should have a clear purpose and be communicated in good time to those involved

to allow for full preparation and to avoid anxiety. Learning Management System (LMS)

software requires some investment but if designed appropriately, can help to better

communicate and manage blended assessment processes, alongside many other areas,

between the school, pupils and parents/carers.177 Any use of digital tools will require a data

management strategy that considers GDPR.178

176 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/publications/blended-learning-guidelines.htm 177 See, for example, Alan Tait (Professor Emeritus of Distance Education and Development at the Open University, UK) Education for Development: From Distance to Open Education. https://jl4d.org/index.php/ejl4d/article/view/294/313 178 For a discussion with links to resources see, for example, https://theconversation.com/childrens-privacy-is-at-risk-with-rapid-shifts-to-online-schooling-under-coronavirus-135787

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II. Fairness: the International Bureau of Education defines this as “the consideration of

learner’s needs and characteristics, and any reasonable adjustments that need to be applied to

take account of them. It is important to ensure that the learner is informed about, understands

and is able to participate in the assessment process, and agrees that the process is appropriate.

It also includes an opportunity for the person being assessed to challenge the result of the

assessment and to be reassessed if necessary. Ideally an assessment should not discriminate

between learners except on grounds of the ability being assessed." 179

III. Equity: assessment processes and tools should provide all leaners with equal opportunities to

demonstrate their competence and better understand their progression and needs. This means

considering the parity of school site and distance assessment, as well as the parity of

assessment approaches used by schools across the system, using moderation where

appropriate.180 The use of online examinations software may provide a trusted approach to

formal summative assessment.181

IV. Validity and reliability: validity in assessment refers to what is assessed and how well this

corresponds with the behaviour or construct to be assessed. Validity is not simply the way in

which [an assessment] functions, but depends on what it is used for and the interpretation and

social consequences of the results.182 Assessments are reliable if the results may be replicated

(over time and across different sites).183 These aspects are important to note if new

approaches to assessment are being developed within a blended learning approach.

V. Self-efficacy: self-assessment by learners of their own progress, as well as peer assessment,

can contribute to increased motivation and a sense of responsibility and agency in the

learning process.184 As part of ongoing assessment it can help the teacher understand what

has been gained from initial (e.g. distance) tasks and design the next stages. By reflecting on

a course, pupils are encouraged to consider the whole process, both at distance and on the

school site.

VI. Familiarity: new assessment approaches should be gradually introduced into schools and the

system to build the confidence and competence of all those involved. Nevertheless, this

should not prevent necessary immediate change. Teachers and school leaders may benefit

179 http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/glossary-curriculum-terminology/f/fairness-assessment 180 The New Zealand Ministry of Education outlines the purpose, process and benefits of the moderation of assessment: https://assessment.tki.org.nz/Moderation/Moderation-purposes 181 See, for example, the SURF (Netherlands ICT education and research organisation) White Paper on Online Proctoring (the remote surveillance of examinations) - https://www.surf.nl/files/2019-04/whitepaper-online-proctoring_en.pdf 182 Wyatt-Smith & Joy Cumming 2009, http://dmz-ibe2-vm.unesco.org/fr/node/12102 183 http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/glossary-curriculum-terminology/f/fairness-assessment 184 Alfredo Soeiro (University of Porto, Portugal) - How to design and manage assessments for online learning – EDEN, Monday,

20 April 2020, https://www.eden-online.org/how-to-design-and-manage-assessments-for-online-learning/

See also Ireland’s National Council for Curriculum and Assessment Guide on Student Reflection:

https://ncca.ie/media/1926/assessment-booklet-4_en.pdf

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from professional development (networking, training) and guidelines, particularly regarding

online assessment.185

VII. Regularity: a single assessment period at the end of the school year allows the maximum

time for learner development and may be used to decide progress to the next stage; however,

this relies on the alignment of many conditions. The curriculum may be usefully divided into

modules that are assessed as they are concluded; an approach already used in some

systems.186 This may help the fluid movement between school site and distance learning over

the course of a year of study and alleviate pressure of single assessment.

VIII. Diversity: a long-term strategy for blended learning requires the appropriate assessment of

broad competence development, not just knowledge recall. Using Learning Diaries or

Personal Development Plans can help track individual progression across school-site and

distance environments, and inform a personalised approach going forward. Computer-Based

Assessment (quizzes, games, ePortfolios) offers ways of understanding and evidencing

learner progression that can be used both environments. ePortfolios also enable a range of

competences to be assessed and with a degree of choice for the learner to build it in a way

that motivates them – important for distance learning - and showcases their strengths.187 They

also allow for peer- and self-assessment. Blended learning requires a defined strategy for the

assessment of practical skills. Videos (live and recorded) and online simulations may enable

some assessment at distance, coupled with flexible opportunities for on-site (school or work

placement) assessment.188

IX. Flexibility: blended learning requires a flexibility that permits, for example, assessment to

take place over a number of days – open assessment – or incorporate group as well as

individual assessment, in the case of collaborative project work. Schools and teachers may be

given some choice in the most appropriate type of assessment for their own subject matter

and context. The use of some digital tools (for both school site and distance assessment) can

also relieve the burden of grading by teachers and release time for other learning tasks.189

Changes to Higher Education assessment in 2020 and 2021 may pave the way for changes in

school education. Many universities are known to have developed established online assessment

practices that were already familiar in distance learning courses. The benefits to using a

computer for assessment included familiarity for the students and legible responses for the

185 In a European survey (9 April-10 May 2020), 67% respondents reported that this was their first experience of online teaching. https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/viewpoints/surveys/survey-on-online-teaching.htm 186 For example, Lithuania switched to a modular curriculum for VET in 2017, which enabled diplomas to be awarded in 2020 to those completing more than 50% of their overall course, despite the school closures. https://www.e-tar.lt/portal/lt/legalAct/8d34ecd05c0411e79198ffdb108a3753 187 European Commission / Joint Research Centre (2013) - https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC76971/jrc76971.pdf 188 Discussed by expert representatives in the European Apprenticeships Alliance webinar series (May 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=1147&eventsId=1642&furtherEvents=yes 189 European Commission / Joint Research Centre (2013) - https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC76971/jrc76971.pdf

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examiners. Whilst some students were unprepared for online examinations, they also positively

noted the convenience and rapid feedback. Designing “open book” assessment (where notes and

texts could be used) also placed more emphasis on the applied knowledge by the students, rather

than what they could recall on the day.190

190 EDEN (2021) Webinar: Changing Assessment Due to Covid-19: Experiences and Impact. Recording available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YVBHgOZQl4

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3.2.2. Supporting teachers

Image: Adam Winger at unsplash.com

This section discusses the role of the teacher and the necessary support and working conditions

for a blended learning approach to be embedded effectively.

Teacher decisions and conditional factors in learning design

For any pedagogical approach, teachers will be committed to designing a learning experience

where all pupils can participate and reach their full potential. A typical defined boundary when

designing the approach is the school “lesson”: a fixed period of time where teachers and pupils

share the same physical or virtual space. Another typical boundary is the subject curriculum:

expected learning outcomes for all pupils on defined topics. Combining school site and distance

learning however requires a more holistic perspective, as the scope for bringing in other learning

facilitators (typically other professionals or parents) and a personalised (learner-centred)

approach potentially increases. Learning outcomes based on progression in various competence

areas are potentially more likely to be valued than the time spent on a task, whilst ensuring that

learners can develop all competences in a balanced way191.

The teacher’s decisions regarding the design of blended learning is likely to be based on: a) the

requirements of the curriculum (which may or may not have changed to take into account

blended learning approaches); b) the needs and capacity of their learners (including what

191 Susan Patrick Chris Sturgis (March 2015) Maximizing Competency Education and Blended Learning: Insights from Experts Accessed at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED557755.pdf

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learning support they have elsewhere); and c) their own capacity as a teacher; d) the general

approach of the school that they are working in; and e) the available resources.

Competence in the design of blended learning

Teachers need a certain level of experience and professional competence to identify learning

tasks that are complementary and coherent across learning environments. Designing for distance

learning is not merely a case of replicating school site practice. Nor is the embedding of new

tools as easy as using those that are more familiar.

In consultation, stakeholders highlighted that Initial Teacher Education programmes should

reflect the needs of staff for blended learning design and prepare new teachers to design with

such blends.

Given that teachers are likely to encounter an increasing number of new tools, they will need to

continuously evaluate and update their own competences to ensure their own effectiveness in

designing and facilitating learning192. It is not sufficient that the teacher him/herself is able to

understand, make informed decisions about, and use the various tasks for learning. He/she also

has to be able to support their learners to engage with and be capable of managing their learning

within a blended learning approach, including how to use technology and diverse learning

resources in productive ways193.

Assessment processes and tools should be coherent between school site and distance tasks and

give all pupils sufficient opportunity to demonstrate and understand their progression and future

needs (see section 3.2.1 on the Design of Learning). Teachers may need additional professional

development support in this specific area or may have designed approaches as part of their recent

experience of remote teaching that could help the development of their school and other schools

in this respect.

Stakeholders emphasised that the confidence and competence of teachers go hand in hand,

particularly regarding the use of digital tools.

If a teacher has developed particular expertise, they may be encouraged to take a leading role

amongst their peers. This may also lead to greater motivation as a professional. The concept of

“distributed leadership” describes where teachers can further their knowledge and skills by

taking decisions, individually and collectively within a clearly defined framework of school

leadership194. This is particularly important in blended learning that requires, in addition to

teaching skills, a vision, high working ethics, team skills, judgement and assessment skills and

192 iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework. Accessed at : https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED561318.pdf 193 Lund, A., Furberg, A., Bakken, J., Lyngvær Engelien, K. (2014) What Does Professional Digital Competence Mean in Teacher

Education? Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 04 / 2014 (Vol. 9). 194 See http://cstp-wa.org/cstp2013/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Teacher-Leadership-Framework.pdf

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organisational skills and collaboration in order to make blended learning effective195. Teachers

taking on a leading role in the use of digital technology may be given specific recognition 196

“Teachers should be given time to study, to research, to update

their knowledge… and strategies and not do it on weekends or

after working hours.” (Teacher)

Professional development and attitudes to innovation and collaboration

As organising blended learning requires constant adaptation of teaching, teachers’ different

attitudes towards education and willingness to change become relevant.197 Not all teachers think

about the design of blended learning in the same way, and findings have shown that most

teachers are led by practical considerations rather than attending to individual students’ needs.

This may be a prevailing problem with the terminology – where “blended” seems to be

associated with simply “adding more tools” to the learning process. Addressing this issue may be

done through dialogue with peers in order to dispel anxieties, share challenges and solutions with

their peers regarding their designs for learning, and better reach a shared vision about the

different ways in which learning can take place.

It is unrealistic to expect all teachers to be suddenly highly experienced and competent in

blended learning approaches in the space of a few months. They also work in different contexts.

Therefore, teachers should have the opportunity, collaborative support, and willingness to take

risks and innovate in order to adapt their pedagogical approaches in a way that is effective for

their own learners. Innovative models of teacher professional learning and development can help

and support the uptake of new instructional practices.198

Blending learning environments and tools – particularly if it is a new approach for the school –

requires constant adaptation of teaching based on reflection (self-evaluation and by others) and

195 See https://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/RR-10-27.pdf 196 Within SELFIE for Teachers (https://digcompedu.jrc.es) a leader teacher is expected to lead collaborative tasks with

colleagues using digital technologies (e.g. collaboration and co-creation of learning designs, implementation of joint projects), while engaging in reflective practice by supporting and providing advice to colleagues about improving their digital professional practice through critical reflection (e.g. through discussion forums, blogs, social networks, online professional communities). 197 Studies addressed different typologies of beliefs about designing blended learning, differentiating three profiles of instructors: a disregard profile – instructors believe that additional support is not necessary; an adaptation profile – instructors are open to adjustments to existing learning arrangements; and a transformation profile – instructors believe that blended learning arrangements should be designed in a completely different way, and be tailored to the characteristics of the specific learner group. See Boelens et al. (2018), The design of blended learning in response to student diversity in higher education: Instructors’ views and use of differentiated instruction in blended learning. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.02.009 198 Vuorikari, R., Innovating Professional Development in Compulsory Education - An analysis of practices aimed at improving teaching and learning, EUR 29622 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2019, ISBN 978-92-79-98876-9, doi:10.2760/948518, JRC115292. https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC115292/jrc115292_innovating_pd_analysis_final_upload.pdf

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feedback, in order to respond to the learners’ needs effectively. This is an established part of

managing one’s own professional development.199

Embedding a blended learning approach across a whole school – or a whole education system -

requires a significant amount of innovation on the part of teachers and is likely to feel like rapid

change. The importance of sharing practice is, therefore, heightened in these more exceptional

circumstances. Teachers should recognise their role within the school as a “learning community”

to include peer observation, mentoring and coaching as well as co-designing lessons and

resources.200 How such collaboration can be achieved at a distance may need the use of

additional tools, and time. Indeed, an increased familiarity and creativity with different learning

tools may be transferred to professional development and vice versa. Online “teach meets”,

webinars and courses will also expand the size of an individual’s professional community. For

example, it was widely reported that members of the eTwinning European online community

were better prepared and able to cope with the change to teaching remotely in spring 2020.

Some teachers who were consulted suggested that it may be usful for systems to consider a

"cascade" design for professional development courses: the teachers who follow the course, in

turn, become facilitators with colleagues in their school, thus creating wider and wider circles of

learning and training.

Beginning teachers, who have just completed their diplomas will be joining schools and the

wider profession with potentially limited recent practical experience. They are unlikely to be

fully experienced in blended learning from a teacher’s perspective, although they may have more

recent experience themselves as a learner in higher education compared to their new colleagues.

These professionals may require even more support than normally offered to confidently develop

appropriate pedagogical approaches that suit their own context and capacity.

Supporting pupils as individuals and as a class community

Consideration may be given as how to maintain regular contact with pupils, such as arranging for

supportive one-to-one communication, as well as communication with the learning group201.

Teachers may also consider how to create and maintain a culture of collaboration and trust202 –

through dialogue as well as learning tasks – that contribute to the sense of community,

transcending different learning environments. This facilitation may also help dispel the teacher’s

199 See Chapter 6 and 7 in Supporting teacher and school leader careers: a policy guide. Available at:

https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/6e4c89eb-7a0b-11ea-b75f-01aa75ed71a1/language-en 200 European Commission (2018) Boosting Teacher Quality: pathways to effective policies. Accessible at: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/95e81178-896b-11e8-ac6a-01aa75ed71a1 201 Roszak, M. & Kołodziejczak, B. (2017) “Teachers' skills and ICT competencies in blended learning”, Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences. Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e3b1/70e64eb0d55dd55fece59fb939a620a9549c.pdf 202 Experts propose the approach of using the acronym “TRICK,” which stands for trust, respect, independence, collaboration, and kindness. See Wojcicki, E., Izumi, L., and Chang, A. (2015) Moonshots in Education: Blended Learning in the Classroom, Pacific Research Institute.

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own anxieties around different (potentially more distant) relationships with pupils who are less

frequently on the school campus.

As highlighted elsewhere, communication and liaison with stakeholders in the wider school

community is important for the continuity of learning across different environments. How to

effectively achieve this is a key consideration. Direct communication and guidelines may be

considered for families – or those who are most likely to supervise the work of pupils,

particularly younger pupils – in order that the distance learning tasks are fully understood and

supported. The use of Learning Management Systems (LMS)203 have been effectively deployed

in higher education, however schools or systems that already had such software in place could

easily continue to do so during the pandemic restrictions.204

There may be measurable cognitive benefits. An analysis of the TIMMS 2019 responses by the

International Education Association (IEA) suggests that students with a higher sense of school

belonging performed better in mathematics and science (see figure 22 below).205

203 A Learning Management System (LMS) is software that not only helps to deliver a course of study; it can also assist with the processing of different kinds of data (including learner assessment), with reporting, and with communication with external stakeholders, including parents and education authorities. Well-known software includes – but is not limited to – Moodle, Blackboard, Schoology and Edmodo. 204 See, for example, Finland in data collected by the World Bank in March-June 2020. Accessible at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech/brief/how-countries-are-using-edtech-to-support-remote-learning-during-the-covid-19-pandemic 205 Reported in the video TIMSS 2019 International Results: Home, School, and Classroom Contexts for Teaching and Learning. Published at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6JOHTdFOCk on 8 Dec 2020

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Figure 24: Students with a higher sense of school belonging performed better in mathematics and

science

However, important as it is, a “sense of belonging” is complex and many factors may fall outside

of the teacher’s direct influence. It may be characterised as including: students’ sense of being

able to make friends; sense of being liked and accepted by the school community; their

connectedness to the school; as well as their individual feelings of alienation, isolation, and

loneliness at school.206

Communicating and collaborating with the wider community

Teachers should be able to reach out to the wider community, and also welcome in members of

the community. This not only improves the learning in different environments but also enables

learners to be inspired by practitioners in other fields, as well as contributing to the professional

development of the teacher.

Supporting such collaboration may require a specific reference within school education

professional frameworks. This is the case in Australia within the professional standards for

206 Hristova, A. and Tosheva, E. (forthcoming) Quality of School Life in Europe in the Light of Large-Scale International Assessments - Report, European Expert Network on Economics of Education.

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teaching207, where community engagement has a greater emphasis as teachers progress to higher

stages of professionalism.

One example of supported collaboration is the European Commission’s “re@ct” pilot project208

in Belgium to explore ways to bring Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSC) researchers closer to

learners in schools and universities. This initiative is planned to continue in the future involving

researchers across Europe.

Stakeholders have highlighted that experts from outside of the school can make important

contributions to the learning and not only for core subjects. However, they stressed that this

should ideally not be one-off or for a short time. External practitioners (such as scientists,

doctors, historians, musicians, writers) should be involved in the learning design and over time.

This includes the planning, contributing to the process of teaching and learning, and even the

formative assessment.

“The school and cultural parties involved need to agree on a

mutual goal. Each party can have their own reasons to be

involved, but they need be in agreement of what they are trying to

achieve.” (Network of education and culture ministry

representatives)

EXAMPLE K: Supporting school education and cultural partnerships in Norway and

Latvia

The Cultural Rucksack is a political collaboration between the Norway Ministry of Culture and

the Ministry of Education and Research, to ensure that students in primary and secondary

schools have an opportunity to experience professional artistic and cultural productions during

school hours several times a year. Artists can visit the school for a shorter or longer period, or

students and teachers participate in arrangements outside the school, or a combination of the two.

One objective of the Cultural Rucksack is to be a supplement to the arts subjects taught in the

schools, while not being a substitute for them. Another objective of the programme is to ensure

that students have access to professional arts and culture of high quality during school hours.

With the pandemic restrictions, infrastructure has been redirected into production of digital

learning products with funding that would normally have been used for travel as part of the

programme.

207 https://www.qct.edu.au/standards-and-conduct/professional-standards#:~:text=The%20Australian%20Professional%20Standards%20for%20Teachers%20%28APST%29%20are,teachers%20should%20know%20and%20be%20able%20to%20do 208 Information on the European Commission’s “Researchers at school and at university” project is available at https://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/events/20160503-react_en

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2015 report on the initiative: https://www.kulturradet.no/documents/10157/a7464045-2cb6-

4988-9948-ffd834508a5d

In Latvia, the project „Latvian School Bag” provides an opportunity for pupils to experience a

variety of activities and events of art and cultural heritage, science, and nature within the

educational framework, with access guaranteed by the state. In addition to access to cultural

events and processes, artists and creative professionals are supported to visit schools, promoting

cooperation among education and culture specialists and developing local involvement and

ownership.

More information: http://lv100.lv/programma/latvijas-skolas-soma/

Managing one’s own working conditions

All teachers should be clear on the expectations (of school management team and education

authorities) of their school site and distance working conditions. This may include establishing

ways to keep to contracted hours, support for their own “distance teaching” where this is

required/possible, and support for extra costs such as devices, technological support, or travel.

According to ministry and stakeholder organisation representatives consulted, the role of the

teacher in giving personal and social support to their colleagues and to their learners should

be emphasised, where it is not already highly apparent and valued. According to stakeholders,

previous attitudes have changed to be more in favour of the teacher, sparked by the forced

distancing by school site closure. The social role of the teacher goes hand in hand with the social

dimension of the school, which is perhaps now valued more highly after long periods of full- and

part-closure. This requirement should be treated with care when designing a blended learning

strategy for a school. The strong social role of teachers should not completely rule out the

benefits of more flexible learning arrangements; nor should the attractiveness of integrating

distance learning work against the delicate and crucial existence of the school as a community.

What was reported as a concern was – like all cases where work is from a home office – that

there is a sense of “the endless day” for teachers, compounded by the increased workload. There

was less sense of “being in school” or, rather, being able to step back and refresh, or adequately

juggle their out-of-work responsibilities. Where distance environments become more dominant,

boundaries may need to be re-established. This may not be of a concern if the school staff are

predominantly on the school campus; however, following the experience of the pandemic, care

should be taken with those teachers, support staff, and learners, who are members of the school

community but spend much of their working time at a distance.

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Figure 25: A perspective on teacher competence in blended learning209

The attractiveness of the school education profession

One question for policy makers is whether the new concept of online and on-site teacher is

attractive or off-putting in terms of recruiting new entrants to the school education

profession. On the one hand, teaching could be seen as interesting and challenging if being “in

school” is not just about being in lessons within the four walls of a classroom. On the other hand,

those who envisaged a career of working constantly in a shared and personal space – i.e. a

classroom or studio – may be deterred by the idea of being more remote from some pupils some

of the time, or interacting through an online platform.

There are cultural and personality preferences that may affect the attitude to distance and online

learning – expressing oneself with the whole body can be lost, and therefore frustrating or feel

abnormal. The natural movement of a teacher around the space, having more close discussions

with a small group whilst still keeping one eye on the whole class, is not easily replicated.

Therefore, the considerations of learning design need to include an appreciation of how this

affects teacher-pupil relationships and also the teacher’s own sense of identity and place in the

class community.

In terms of what digital technology can offer, it may be suggested that schools could access

teacher support that is not immediately available locally. Connecting with a teacher who is

remote to the school may permit smaller groups of students in schools to take courses of study in

minority subjects, which was not previously possible. This may open up new opportunities for

teachers of certain subjects to work in the system or teachers who for various reasons cannot

travel to the school site.

209 Source: iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework. Available at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED561318.pdf

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3.2.3 School leadership: creating the appropriate school climate and culture

Image: Marius Fiskum, EDUCATION.NO (Norway)

This section considers the role of and particular challenges for school leaders and school heads in

a blended learning approach

Stakeholders highlighted the importance of the school culture (its values, beliefs, expectations,

organisational behaviour, and sense of community) and school climate (how it feels to teach and

learn there) to the effectiveness of a blended learning approach. This includes the school

leadership (school heads and other school leaders) which helps to establish a clear vision but also

enables some flexibility of approach by the staff team.

Four types of leadership competence210 can be identified as being particularly relevant to recent

experiences in schools:

1. Rapid or large-scale change management leadership: more recently may be

understood as a competence to lead in an emergency or crisis but could still be necessary

in more stable times to support significant changes to the school organisation;

2. Leadership on expertise: i.e. recognising the strengths of staff and where development

could be effective;

3. Social and emotional well-being leadership: i.e. empathy for others; caring about staff

beyond their core work outputs, which is different than crisis management.

4. Reflective leadership: How do we learn from all the new experiences we have/ get new

insights? i.e. reflection and observation on what is happening in order to inform how to

move forward. Reflection needs dialogue.

Whilst school education may hope or prefer not to describe itself in a period of “crisis”, these

different competences have been identified as important. The need not be encompassed in one

school head but it could be useful to have shared leadership roles at the school level.

210 Originally proposed by M.Snoek, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, as part of the ET2020 Working Group Schools thematic discussions on blended learning.

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With a necessary greater focus on the role of parents, and for better supporting students to learn

in different environments, this may (further) shift the role of "school" head into a "community

leader".

This would potentially alter – or increase - what school heads and their leadership team are

responsible for, including diverse learning environments inside and outside of the school

campus. According to stakeholder discussions, it may require significant school community and

whole-system courage and determination to discover new routes for school education. This may

include radical reform of some traditional measure on which confidence in school systems has

been based. For instance, sending external inspectors to observe teachers on the school campus

may no longer effectively monitor or support the broad scope of the organisation and design of

learning (see section 3.2.6 on Quality Assurance for more on this topic).

In implementing a blended learning approach, school leadership211 is key in ensuring that there is

a culture and climate for continuous improvement and that school level barriers for blended

learning are addressed. It will be the school leadership who define the specific goals of blended

learning – in cooperation with teachers – and will have the responsibility of ensuring that

professional development needs are examined and addressed212.

Developing a shared vision for the implementation of blended learning

Schools are generally expected to regularly reflect on their successes and challenges and create a

strategic development plan – to act as a “school as learning organisation”.213 As is true for any

innovation in school practice, a clear sense of direction from the school head and a shared vision

held by the school community is crucial for effective problem solving that will be an ongoing

part of adapting to blended learning approaches.214 Such a vision may require a significant shift

in mind-set concerning staff responsibilities, and concerning the increase in leader-centred

approaches and learner independence.

Since the role of parents and carers in blended learning is, in most cases, enhanced, it also is

important that that the school leadership builds relationships, not only inside the school, but also

211 School leader: Those who hold a formal position of responsibility for the management of the school. School leaders are also teachers, as they are also still involved in learner development, both in and out of the classroom. There needs to be certain career support to reach a leadership role. School head: The most senior school leadership position - the person with overall responsibility for the pedagogical and administrative management of the school or cluster of schools. This role might also be referred to as ‘head teacher’, ‘school principal’ or ‘school director’. They can also be included in the broad definition of ‘school leader’. See European Commission (2020) Supporting teacher and school leader careers: a policy guide – Summary. Available at: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/f02d4648-7a07-11ea-b75f-01aa75ed71a1/language-en 212 iNACOL, The International Association for K–12 Online Learning, Promising practices in blended and online learning - Blending Learning: The Evolution of Online and Face-to-Face Education from 2008–2015 Evergreen Education Group www.inacol.org , originally published May 2008. Available at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED560788.pdf 213 See European Commission (2018) Teachers and school leaders in schools as learning organisations : report of the ET2020 Working Group Schools: https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/downloads/Governance/2018-wgs4-learning-organisations_en.pdf 214 See European Commission (2017) Study on School Innovation in Europe: https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/innovation.htm

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outside the school community215. School heads and leaders may reach out for support from other

schools or provide support to others (networking).

School heads are a crucial link to the rest of the education system. They may need to interpret

new regulations and other requirements that come into force regarding blended learning (See

Chapter 4 for more on “legislation”). Vice versa, they may also need to signal additional needs in

order to obtain the necessary support from authorities.

Supporting teachers to make autonomous decisions within a collaborative school culture

Implementing a blended learning approach within a school may require a considerable amount of

designing and decision-making by teachers, drawing on their full range of professional

competences. Empowering teachers to take that responsibility is best supported when leadership

is school in distributed and when leadership is based on trust and where learning environments

are flexible. Nevertheless, teachers should also not feel alone or isolated.

Teachers and school leaders have experienced a unique period of discovery and innovation

during the shift to distance learning. Sharing this expertise, and that which will be built during

the new academic year, will be important to developing effective blended learning approaches

that best fit each school community. 216

EXAMPLE L: Portugal’s website “Support for Schools”, created in 2020

The website “Support for Schools” provides all students, teachers, principals, parents and

guardians, and the rest of the school community with a comprehensive set of resources to support

learning and school management, in order to enrich and enhance teaching and learning processes

in the recent challenging times.

Created in 2020 by the Directorate-General for Education, in conjunction with the National

Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education, IP, in response to requests from schools at

the beginning of the pandemic crisis, “Support for Schools” is believed to have surpassed all

expectations, having become a reference, both in terms of the use of distance learning

methodologies by schools, and in terms of assessment, among other areas.

https://apoioescolas.dge.mec.pt/

215 Education Development Trust (2016) Successful school leadership, UK: Reading, Berkshire www.educationdevelopmenttrust.com. Available at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED565740.pdf 216 Pont, B., Nusche,D., Moorman, H. (2008) Improving School Leadership volume 1: policy and practice, OECD

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Supporting the design of learning

Whether or not a school has a high degree of autonomy over the curriculum, some responsibility

will likely lie with the school leadership to ensure that all aspects can be effectively covered.

Shifting some learning to distance environments or expanding the variety of learning tools

(including digital technology) may involve more fundamental shifts in the curriculum in terms

of:

structure – for example as modules rather than year-long courses;

formulation of learning outcomes - for example on competences rather than subject

knowledge;

expansion – for example, being able to offer new courses in subjects not previous

possible;

In consultation, stakeholders emphasised that guidelines are useful but need to come with

freedom and flexibility for local learning design choices. Any vision generated for the whole

system needs to be accompanied with support and clear sense of expectations (i.e. what is

expected of all schools, all teachers.

Blended learning will likely require the use of new software, resources, and data systems, and

new ways of understanding the learning process. Professional development opportunities will

need to be signposted and supported. Internal and external tools and processes for determining

capacity may be useful, such as structured self-evaluation questionnaires217 or peer dialogue.

An inclusive blended learning strategy should be designed - and systematically assessed and

adjusted - by a multidisciplinary team, with provision for individual tutoring/support to be

delivered by the most appropriate actors. Disadvantage is a complex and multidimensional issue,

it can only be addressed with an integrated holistic approach, and with the involvement of all

relevant stakeholders. Stakeholders outside the school - psychologists, Special Educational

Needs specialists, social services, local authorities, youth services, NGOs – may be approached

and activated by school leaders.218 Local community practices developed during the period of

school site closure could be further supported and scaled up.219

217 For example, SELFIE is a free European tool for schools to self-evaluate their capacity in digital education.

https://ec.europa.eu/education/schools-go-digital_en 218 European Commission (2015) A whole school approach to tackling early school leaving. Available at :

https://ec.europa.eu/assets/eac/education/experts-groups/2014-2015/school/early-leaving-policy_en.pdf 219 Examples : https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools/detail.cfm?n=12485 and https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools/detail.cfm?n=12564

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Supporting the leaders

Considerations about leadership concern not only school leaders but also those who have the

capacity and responsibility to support them.220

Specific questions may guide reflection on how leadership in schools can be supported when

dealing with change:

What do leadership teams need in order for blended learning to be meaningful and

inclusive?

Aside from guiding them in "what to do", what else do they need in their own

professional development?

What kind of professional characteristics do we expect of leaders in blended learning?

At the start of the pandemic, it was reported that a popular decision was to give more autonomy

to school heads, which national guidelines were intended to support. This was seen as a positive

change. However, when school sites re-opened it was noted that many heads were allowing their

schools to automatically return to full-time school site approaches and not necessarily changing

their organisation (of the school or learning). This attitude by school leaders was perhaps

understandable following a period of great stress, however, with the constant changes in

restrictions over an entire year, systems may be lamenting the missed opportunity to help leaders

and schools to shift to more flexible learning approaches.

First, leaders need clear guidance from the authorities in the system, be it at school board,

regional or national level. Stakeholders report that developing a clear vision and developing a

school strategy is very difficult if the guidance and expectations from the system are unclear or

change constantly.

Second, as with the teacher, school leaders need to have "design" capacity for reinventing

education. Centres for School Leadership can provide an immediate opportunity for dedicated

professional development if their offer can be easily combined with school-based work.

Third, it is also important to consider the same mental health issues and need for working

boundaries of school heads and refer them to specific support. With a shared leadership

approach, some of that burden can be eased, but may be difficult to suddenly introduce such an

approach in a culture which is used to and heavily relies upon hierarchical decisions.

220 Acree, L., Gibson, T., Mangum, N., Wolf, M.A., Kellogg, S. & Branon, S. (2017). Supporting School Leaders in Blended Learning with Blended Learning. Journal of Online Learning Research, 3(2), 105-143. Waynesville, NC USA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved June 5, 2020 from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/171355/

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3.2.4 Well-being of staff and pupils

Image: pixabay.com

This section considers the mental, physical and emotional well-being of both school staff and

pupils

By moving to a blended learning approach, routines will change and pose specific challenges to

the well-being and mental health of education staff, learners and parents. The move to blended

learning will equally affect the ability of schools to respond to these challenges and provide

support to students and staff. The COVID-19 crisis added extra mental health and well-being

concerns221 for schools and schools continue to play an important role in mitigating the negative

psychological effects of the crisis.

A survey focused on learners’ worries during spring 2020 and how they were feeling during

remote schooling. Across participating countries, 24%-43% of respondent learners expressed

concerns about getting poor grades because of online activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic

(Figure 23 below). Only in a small number of countries (50% in Austria, 52% in Slovenia),

around half of the respondents disagreed with the statement “I worry that I will get poor grades

because of online activities”. Moreover, between 20 and 32% in all countries responded the

statement being “partly not true, partly true.”

For students to make the most out of new technologies for learning, previous studies show that

developing positive attitudes towards learning can help. In blended learning, they can also be

crucial in supporting learners to overcome some of the potential challenges, for example, those

221 According to World Health Organization, coping with stress and anxiety represents the main mental health challenge of the

COVID-19 pandemic. http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-

19/news/news/2020/3/mental-health-and-psychological-resilience-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

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posed by online learning.222 Parents, together with teachers, play a fundamental role in

supporting students to develop these attitudes. The results of this study show that designing

targeted activities and support material (for example, guidelines), which aim to reduce the

burden on parents and teachers, would be needed to maximise the potential of remote schooling

when regular in-person instruction cannot take place.

Figure 26: Student concerns about getting poor grades because of online activities

Within the Digital Education Action Plan open public consultation, almost 40% of education

institutions reported that they would have liked to have received more guidance on how to

support mental health and well-being of staff and learners.

To help address the issue of mental health related to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, a

temporary network of European not-for-profit organizations was established on EU Health

Policy platform.223 The objective of the network is to share knowledge and practices on COVID-

19-related mental health issues and develop a set of guidance documents that can help address

the mental health aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

222 OECD (2020). Strengthening online learning when schools are closed: The role of families and teachers in supporting students during the COVID-19 crisis. https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/view/?ref=136_136615-o13x4bkowa&title=Strengthening-online-learning-when-schools-are-closed 223 Requests to join networks on the EU Health Policy platform can be made at https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/hpf/networks

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Identifying causes of anxiety and stress

There may be various reasons for increase in anxiety levels and concerns, not only in the context

of a crisis that would force full distance learning,224 but still potentially also in any blended

learning approach. Anxiety and stress can lead to de-motivation in both teaching and learning,

and further isolation. The causes include:

Potential loss of immediate contact with friends or colleagues;

Increase of workload and responsibility caused by the change in approach (e.g. more

project-based, more preparation) or by “adding on” distance learning tasks, rather than

co-ordinating between the environments;

Concerns about how work will be assessed, and efforts recognised;

Concern about the impact on university (final year students) or career prospects (pupils

and teachers) if the distance learning aspects are not embedded or valued;

Loss of structure that school can provide – and equally the stress of changes to familiar

rules and routines;

Loss of a ‘safe’ place away from difficult or dangerous home environments for some

children;

Extended exposure to digital screens or stress caused by cyber-bullying.

Simply identifying the possible causes is the first step to developing ways to prevent, mitigate or

overcome such problems.

Developing guidance for the whole school community

A well-being approach, including for blended learning, will need to take into account children,

teaching staff as well as parents and administrative and management staff. One cannot ensure the

well-being of one group without paying attention to the well-being of all the other groups in a

schools’ eco-system.

Guidance may be provided – by the school or local/national authorities - on an array of issues to

help pupils and teachers cope with any amount of reduced time on the school campus, such as:

Maintaining individual social contacts and a sense of being a part of the school

community (see chapter on School Community);

Managing own expectations and motivations for development and time management for

completing school tasks;

224 The ETUCE study on "Occupational health and safety of teachers, academics and other education personnel in times of COVID-19" identifies the main challenges of emergency online teaching and learning from the perspective of teachers and other education personnel. Available at: https://www.csee-etuce.org/en/policy-issues/covid-19/4326-new-study-on-vaccination-of-teachers-by-etuce

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A positive use and personal management of digital tools and social media; and supporting

the application of data protection rules to children

Balanced diet and daily exercise.225

Developing competences for life

In this context, the key competence “Personal, Social and Learning to learn”226, as described in

the 2018 Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning227 becomes

relevant to look at. This competence is defined as “the ability to reflect upon oneself, effectively

manage time and information, work with others in a constructive way, remain resilient and

manage one’s own learning and career”. Specifically, attention can be directed towards the

following:

Personal area, including self-regulation, flexibility and wellbeing;

Social area, including empathy, communication and collaboration;

Learning to learn area, including growth mind-set, critical thinking and managing

learning.

In a blended learning approach, consideration will have to be given to how this competence can

be effectively nurtured and (self-) evaluated in both the school site and other environments. The

environments are complementary and a blended approach may be beneficial in bringing the two

closer together. Given the emphasis on self-direction and reflection, the competence is a

necessary part of ensuring blended learning works well. In other words, the competence is

developed both for and through blended learning.

Promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports and physical activity

Formal school education contributing to encouraging lifelong habits and attitudes to a

healthy lifestyle

School education contributes by offering a shared space for physical and social interaction,

typically in the form of physical play. The breaks in between lessons are an important time to be

outdoors, be physically mobile, and enjoy games that are governed by certain rules (make

225 Evidence shows that physical activity is associated with improvement of brain functioning, cognition and school results. The annex to the Report of the European Commission Expert group on "health-enhancing physical activity" (2015) gathers scientific evidence on the links between children’s level of physical activity vs. sedentary and their school results. https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/sites/eacea-site/files/recommendations_pe_at_schools_2015.pdf 226 Further information available at: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports/lifecomp-european-framework-personal-social-and-learning-learn-key-competence 227 Further information available at: https://ec.europa.eu/education/education-in-the-eu/council-recommendation-on-key-competences-for-lifelong-learning_en

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believe or simple challenges, as well as sports). This may be complemented by lessons or school

campaigns that focus on a balanced diet or understanding the importance of regular exercise.

Physical activity in young people fell away during the pandemic, and yet a healthy body is

needed to combat viruses. The pandemic has contributed to the rethink on making the most of

time on the school site and is a serious consideration in the design of blended learning. Schools

also need to have at least a basic level of safe and well-functioning equipment and spaces for

such activities.

“My two daughters, high school students in second and final this year, have

been living distance learning intermittently since last year. The eldest takes

several kilos … because it is the way she has found to compensate for the stress

of this isolation.” (Parent)

School education contributing to skills development in sports and other games

Schools are partly responsible for developing the motor and tactical skills of young people that

can help them participate in individual and team activities in their lives. Physical education is

part of the curriculum (although whether it is core, wider or extra-curricular may vary between

schools, regions or systems).

Schools are able to introduce young people to a wide variety of sports and activities – indoors

and outdoors, with or without equipment - that may spark and interest to pursue one or more

outside of school. This then needs some continuity with parents and community organisations to

support the child to participate if they express an interest.

Some schools offer their campuses for vacation activity camps. This can help draw children from

the local area to a familiar and accessible environment to continue these physical and social

activities outside of the school semester.

Some schools work in partnership with local sports clubs or arts organisations, where teachers

and pupils can benefit from working with professional players/artists or coaches/workshop

leaders. The Council conclusions on the role of coaches in society228 and on access to sport for

persons with disabilities229 recognise the role of coaches in promoting sport and physical activity

particularly among children and adolescents.

School education supporting young people in high-level performance programmes

Some children have particular talents and are part of regional or national programmes to

accelerate their development for national representation or leading to a professional contract.

228 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-14210-2017-INIT/en/pdf 229 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9156-2019-INIT/en/pdf

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These young people need help to balance their daily training with continuing their general

education.

This is a minority group of learners but no less important. There are European examples, such as

the Estonian gymnasium where athletes in the Olympic programme can study at a distance and

still be part of the school (see Example K below). “Voetbal Vlaanderen”230 is another example

from the Flemish Community of Belgium, supporting the combination of school and football

training.

Making time for dialogue within the school day

Blended learning could act as a catalyst for extra opportunities to support the well-being of

pupils and teachers, in that the increased attention to effective modes of communication may

inspire the use of tools (for example, well-being apps or social media groups) that can offer more

individualised support to each person and situation.

However, the importance of in-person (same physical space) contact and socialising - by pupils

with pupils, teachers with pupils, teachers with families, and teachers with teachers - cannot be

underestimated. In a blended learning approach the “on-site” contact time could usefully

prioritise opportunities for pupils and school staff to have informal exchanges and discussions

about experiences and strategies for well-being, alongside curriculum lessons.

Inspiration may be taken from research231 that has documented responses to crises and from

guidelines on well-being that were developed during the COVID-19 pandemic (see example

below).

EXAMPLE M: Websites for well-being at home – Luxembourg 232

In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the web portal schouldoheem was created, with simple

guidance and resources to improve well-being. The aim was to support teachers, learners and

parents with concrete pieces of advice for the period of confinement. A series of articles has been

elaborated by experts from the socio-educational sector in Luxembourg, and is updated regularly,

including with videos. The web portal https://www.schouldoheem.lu is available in five

languages, Luxembourgish, English, French, German and Portuguese.

230 https://www.voetbalvlaanderen.be/voetbal-en-school 231 Polizzi, C., Lynn, S.J., Perry, A. (2020). Stress and Coping in the Time of COVID-19: Pathways to Resilience and Recovery. Clinical Neuropsychiatry, 17 (2), 59-62. https://doi.org/10.36131/CN20200204 232 Irish authorities prepared a similar set of webpages with guidelines for parents/guardians of primary school pupils on the continuity of learning and including advice on well-being. The portal is multilingual: besides Irish and English, it is also available in Albanian, Arabic, Farsi, French, Georgian, Kurdish, Pashto, Somali, Spanish and Urdu. www.gov.ie/en/collection/965639-continuity-of-schooling

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3.2.5 Inclusion and targeted support to learners

Image: commons.wikimedia.org

This section discuss both the benefits and challenges of blended learning for learners in

particular circumstances.

Inclusion in education may be understood broadly as a system in and around schools which

places strong emphasis on supportive, quality learning environments. Students’ emotional,

physical, cognitive and social needs are addressed, and each student’s talents are recognised.

Students have opportunities to have their opinions heard. Parents and wider multidisciplinary

teams and agencies actively participate in the school community. Schools actively seek to

prevent discrimination and to meet diverse needs of marginalised and vulnerable students.

School climates are learner-centred, welcoming and caring environments

Inclusive systems seek to prevent discrimination. Inclusive systems in and around schools

especially prioritise the differentiated needs of marginalised and vulnerable groups, including

those at risk of early school leaving and alienation from society.233

Recognising the centrality of a relational school climate, the ET2020 Working Group Schools

report on tackling early school leaving treats learner-centred, welcoming and caring

233 Downes, P. and Nairz-Wirth, E. (2017). ‘Structural indicators for inclusive systems in and around schools’. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, https://nesetweb.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/NESETII_Structural_Indicators.pdf

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environments as part of inclusive education.234 Important in any school or system strategy for

blended learning will be how to take a balanced approach to supporting learner needs (meaning

social and emotional as well as cognitive), ensuring that students have agency and are supported

in any learning environment, creating positive interactions through the use of different tools.

Benefits of blended learning to learners in specific circumstances

Online and distance learning can have benefits for specific groups of learners, for example: those

who are hospitalised; those who follow high performance sports programmes; or those who

cannot attend school for other reasons.

Some schools who have a full-functioning on-site campus offer a full-time distance learning

option for certain pupils. These schools do not necessarily offer a blend of environments during a

period of study but they are able to include pupils who would not otherwise attend.

EXAMPLE N: Campus schools with a full-time distance learning option

The International School of Berne in Switzerland have an “online school” which caters for

students who cannot attend the campus except for occasional activities and graduation. These

students include those on high-performance sports programmes. The online programme is run by

an external company based in Dubai, UAE.

The Audentes School in Tallinn, Estonia, combines an International (IB) school, with an e-

gymnasium (online). It has been created especially for all student athletes who might miss

classes due to systematic training. It gives students the unique chance to acquire secondary

school education online, without going to school on a daily basis. The Audentes Sports School

focuses on the principles of wisdom, health and balance, and for that reason, educators

encourage an active lifestyle, practising sports from an early age. E-gymnasium teachers have

long-term teaching experience, both in the classroom and in a virtual learning environment, and

have followed several training courses for teaching and mentoring. The resulting e-learning

environment offers:

- Affordable education for all ages and levels

- Flexibility in learning

- Thorough support during students’ learning experience through clear action plans and a

counselling system

234 European Commission (2015) A whole school approach to tackling early school leaving - Policy messages. ET 2020 Working Group on Schools. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/education/resources-and-tools/document-library/schools-policy-a-whole-school-approach-to-tackling-early-school-leaving_en

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- Opportunities for higher education.

https://audentes.ee/

A well-known distance learning example with a 70-year history is the Australian “School of the

Air”. This was developed in 1951, using the existing radio communication of the Royal Flying

Doctor Service. Although pupils are hundreds of kilometres apart from each other and their

teachers, the “School of the Air” at Alice Springs makes a concerted effort to maintain a sense of

school identity and community. They offer residential camps each year so that the pupils can

interact in a shared physical space.

There are schools across Europe and the world that may be termed “virtual” schools because

they do not have a campus and yet offer a full curriculum with teacher support.235 They depend

on support from families, which can include financial cost to maintain the school as an online

organisation. This can be a popular option for parents who wish to teach their children at home

and yet need support themselves.

EXAMPLE O: “Bednet” for pupils with a long-term illness or recuperation

With the help of Bednet, pupils with a long-term illness or in extended recuperation can continue

to receive education. Bednet connects the sick student to their class group via computer: it

creates a live connection between them and their classmates, whereby the absent child is visible

on a flat screen at the back of the classroom. Not only does the student keep up with the

curriculum, they also keep in touch with the class. Bednet is available for pre-school children

from the age of 5, as well as primary and secondary school pupils in all certified state-subsidised

schools in Flanders and Brussels. Equipment and counselling are free for schools and families

for as long as they are needed. Since 2005 when Bednet was launched, 1,593 children have used

it in 1,111 Flemish schools.

https://www.bednet.be/bednet-english

There are examples of schools – both with a campus or who visit the pupil in their own

environment – that cater for children in particular circumstances. These include: “Bednet” 236 in

Flanders, Belgium, for hospitalised and chronically ill children (see example above); “@uora” in

Italy for young people in prisons and young offenders institutions237; and “iScoil” 238 in Ireland

for children aged 13-16 who have disengaged with mainstream education (see example below).

235 For example: Nettiperuskoulu in Finland; Rīgas Tālmācības Vidusskola in Latvia; Wolsey Hall in England, UK; and Oak Meadow in the USA. 236 https://www.bednet.be/bednet-english 237 https://www.istruzione.it/archivio/web/istruzione/piano_scuola_digitale/aurora.html 238 https://iscoil.ie/

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A number of schools for the children of circus performers are members of the European Network

for Traveller Education.239

EXAMPLE P: ‘iScoil’ for disengaged learners

iScoil is a non-profit online learning service addressing the problem of early school leaving and

educational disadvantage in Ireland, so that young people can achieve their full potential. iScoil

has a fully online approach and a blended approach that combines in-centre and online learning.

In partnership with local services and agencies, iScoil has created a safe place to learn, where

young people receive personalised learning programmes based on their unique needs, interests

and abilities. Each day, online tutors and mentors review the student’s work, provide feedback

on it, and adapt the next day’s learning plan as needed. Apart from re-engaging students with

education, this service also offers employment opportunities by building a portfolio of work for

students. Since its launch, iScoil has awarded 1146 certificates to 437 young people.

The evidence is that the approach is effective but such organisations are not technically

“schools”. iScoil grew out of a project in the UK, called NotSchool, led by Stephen Heppell:

http://www.naec.org.uk/ultralab/ww3/projects/notschool/

For more information, see:

https://iscoil.ie/

https://youtu.be/6Hiql3Q_1fE

Young carers are children and young people under the age of 18 who provide care for a parent

or relative in the community, usually within their own home. They can be required to perform

personal and practical tasks for their parents or other family members, often without any help or

support from welfare agencies. Many children provide care at great personal expense – they are

deprived of their childhood, many miss out on educational opportunities, few have established

friendships or other support networks. Young carers are at greater risk of not completing their

formal education and are less able to enter into higher education reducing their life chances and

increasing their social exclusion.240

Disadvantaged learners during the pandemic

With the move to Emergency Remote Teaching in spring 2020 and the potential for further

disruption in the 2020–21 school year, there were concerns that disadvantaged learners will fall

239 https://ente.education/partners 240 https://eurocarers.org/young-carers/

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behind and inequalities will grow. Stakeholders have noted the need to ensure access to digital

devices and connectivity, as well as to ensure the quality of instruction.

The COVID-19 pandemic is believed to have exacerbated already existing socio-economic

inequalities in children’s learning opportunities at home. A recent study241 from Denmark finds

that the difference in takeout of digital children’s book from libraries between more and less

advantaged families was higher during the early periods of lockdown compared to the pre-

pandemic period. There is also evidence that during the lockdown children from higher socio-

economic status have spent more time in learning than those from lower socio-economic status.

A survey carried out in the UK during the months of April and May 2020 shows that while

students from households in the top income quintile spend about 5.8 hours per day on educational

activities, the corresponding figure for those in the bottom income quintile is approximately 4.5

hours242. As a result of a home environment less conducive to learning and less time spent in

learning, students from less advantaged backgrounds are likely to have suffered a particularly

significant learning loss. This conclusion is supported by a Dutch study243 showing that the learning

loss experienced by primary school students from homes with lower levels of formal education is up

to 55% larger than that suffered by their more advantaged peers.

Attention to students at-risk of early school leaving was recognised as particularly important. At-

risk students include those with low socio-economic status, special education needs, ethnic

minorities, migrants, and/or living in rural and remote areas, including the outermost regions and

island communities. Some students are unable to learn effectively independently and were

therefore disengaged from their studies during school shutdown. The key issue is the availability

of another to act as mentor. If students are learning in a distance environment, they may need

someone to provide additional pastoral support.244

“There is a need to train and employ more Roma and other

minority staff in in-person and online educational settings,

including teaching and learning support workers. This would

make a strong statement about the commitment to diversity and

inclusion but, most importantly, it would go a long way in better

integrating minority students and responding to their unique

needs.” (A European organisation supporting Roma communities)

Ongoing support for special needs education was also considered to be vital. Children who have

learning difficulties are potentially the most at-risk students in a context of isolation. Many

parents are not equipped to assist special needs children. Where available, adaptive technologies 241 Jæger, M. M., & Blaabæk, E. H. (2020) Inequality in Learning Opportunities during Covid-19: Evidence from Library Takeout. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 68, 1-5. 242 Andrew, A., et al. (2020). Learning during the lockdown: real-time data on children’s experiences during home learning. IFS Briefing Note BN288 243 Engzell, P., Frey, A., and Verhagen, M.D. (2020). “The Collateral Damage to Children’s Education During Lockdown.” VoxEU. 244 The eHub Project in Ireland includes such mentoring but it is also coming to the fore in online schooling in NZ, US, Canada and Australia. More information available at: https://michiganvirtual.org/blog/what-does-research-say-about-mentoring-online-students/

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can work very well for many, but not all. For example, many children with behavioural problems

cannot work well in an online setting. Strategies to address the needs of these at-risk learners and

their families are vital.

Eurochild’s Growing Up in Lockdown report245 reflects on the impact of the pandemic on

children. It compiles information gathered from 25 countries across Europe, and provides

recommendations for improving public policies in the short and long-term to support better

outcomes for children and families. For children already living in poverty it meant increased

hunger if they missed out on free school meals. The impact of the pandemic on children in

alternative care education had to be provided online which staff were not always equipped to

deal with. Just as parents in family homes struggled with home schooling, staff in residential

facilities do not necessarily have the teaching skills, digital skills or equipment needed to support

online education. Unaccompanied minors who were studying have lost their opportunity to

participate in educational activities. There were also positive developments and examples of

good practice to emerge from this situation. In Belgium, for example, community organisations

joined forces to put pressure on public authorities, as a result of which there has been more

attention to children and their rights.

Assistive technologies for learners with physical disabilities, autism and other needs

Assistive technologies have the potential to expand access for learners with physical disabilities

as well as those with autism and other learning needs. Technologies and digital instruction

applications may be adapted to meet a spectrum of learner needs.

Stakeholders have noted, however, that some learners - for example, those with behavioural

challenges - have not been able to continue learning in a fully online environment, and they and

their parents/carers may need additional support to benefit from blended learning environments.·

Research has found that home visits that focused on providing information to parents and helping

them to cope could support improved cognitive and social behavioural outcomes for learners

(based on 36 two -hour visits a year)246.

Additional concerns have to do with the expense of some technologies. While some Member

States fully fund assistive technologies for learners with disabilities, this is by no means

widespread247.

A key feature of inclusive learning environments lies in the accessibility and usability of blended

learning tools. Not only do students from lower socio-economic status need to have access and

be able to use digital technologies, but this should also hold for other categories of disadvantaged

245 Eurochild (2020) Growing up in Lockdown. Available at Growing up in lockdown: Europe’s children in the age of COVID-19 – Eurochild 246 Black, M.M. (1991). Early intervention services for infants and toddlers: A focus on families. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 20 (1), 51 – 57. 247 Pastor, C. (2009) ICT Assistive Technology industry in Europe. Tecnalia: Donostia-San Sebastian.

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students such as those with learning difficulties or special needs. In this context, the concept of

‘universal design’ plays an important role as it refers to those apps or websites that can be

accessed by students with disabilities without assistance248.

Creating online learning materials in line with universal design means that these products should

be usable by all students including those with physical, visual, hearing, learning, and attention

problems. In an attempt to fulfil this need, the Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

framework249 stresses the importance of setting up a curriculum that provides multiple means of :

a) representation (that give learners different ways to acquire knowledge and information), b)

expression (that give learners various tools to express themselves and communicate their

thoughts and ideas), and c) engagement (different ways are used to encourage learners to

complete a task or, more in general, to motivate them).

Amongst other recommendations, experts call for a guarantee of pedagogical and speech therapy

reinforcement, with each student with hearing impairments given support to transfer both tools

and techniques from the school site to distance learning environments and online learning.250.

Individual support and personal tutoring

There is evidence that disadvantaged learners benefit from individual support and personal

tutoring. This might traditionally take place mostly in school, complemented by visits from

home-school liaison officers who work also with the families to better support their own

children’s learning. Consideration should be made as to how such individual support by trained

staff can most effectively operate when the teaching and learning is both on the school site and

also at a distance, for example in maintaining home visits and online individual sessions.

EXAMPLE Q: Home-School Liaison Scheme (HSCL), Ireland

The HSCL Scheme is a preventative strategy, targeted at pupils who are at risk of not reaching

their potential in the education system, due to circumstances in their background. It focuses

directly on the adults in children's lives, in order that they may be better able to support the

children’s attendance, participation and retention in the education system. The Scheme seeks to

promote partnership between families and schools, bring parents closer to their children’s

learning and build parent capacity for learning support, so that they are enabled to contribute to

children’s successful experience in the education system. Children at risk of Early School

Leaving are identified in consultation with School Management.

248 Bose, I.K. (2014) "Planet school": Blended learning for inclusive classrooms. An Enriched ePub eBook for Screen Reader Users, 3-14 249 Rose, D. (2000) Universal design for learning, Journal of Special Education Technology, 15(3), 45-49. 250 In 2020, Confederación Española de Familias de Personas Sordas FIAPAS published a guide on “Supporting hearing-impaired students in the covid-19 context”. Available at https://bibliotecafiapas.es/en/publication/practical-guide-for-supporting-hearing-impaired-students-in-the-covid-19-context/

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HSCL Coordinators are teachers who receive 4 days induction training upon appointment to the

HSCL position. In addition, the Senior Management Team liaises directly with schools and

HSCL cluster groups to ensure that there is consistency of approach and to jointly select and

implement initiatives which are agreed to be most appropriate for a specific school or area.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is ongoing for all HSCL Coordinators and

practitioners to deliver high quality modules, both at national and local level. As part of the

school staff, HSCL Coordinators also receive training in relation to Child Protection and Special

Educational Needs.

https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools/detail.cfm?n=297

Engaging at-risk students through extra-curricular activities

Blended learning also extends to community-based activities. For many learners, extra-

curricular activities in community centres may support motivation and engagement. Extra-

curricular activities support identity formation, the development of social competences and

achievement orientation. Research has found positive benefits from extra-curricular programmes

with high levels of organisation, structure and regularity and which emphasise age-appropriate

goal setting, development and which involved leadership by one or more competent adults.251

Supporting pupil sense of identity and belonging

Pupils may benefit from additional measures – both on the school site and in distance

environments - to ensure their sense of value and belonging to the school community as an

important part of motivation for learning. Attention may be paid to the (short) time delay in

giving feedback on some distance learning tasks, compared to shared space (teacher and pupils

together) where feedback is more immediate. Some learning tasks may also be more deliberately

set as group tasks to compensate for other times where learning is highly independent. Other

opportunities outside of structured learning tasks may also be considered for pupils to

communicate (with each other and with school staff or external stakeholders) on a range of

topics that are meaningful to them, but which add to their sense of belonging to a supportive

school community.

251 Lewis, M. and Samesl, S.J. (2004). The relation between extracurricular activities with academic and social competencies in school-age children: A meta-analysis. Unpublished PhD., Texas A&M University, TX, cited in Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge.

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Parental involvement

A blended learning approach may call on greater parental engagement in their children’s

learning. Younger children in early childhood education and care and primary levels will require

greater parental guidance and support. Learners in lower and upper secondary school levels may

be perceived as more “mature” and therefore better able to work without parental supervision,

however this cannot be assumed.

Schools may work in close partnership with parents to set high expectations for their children’s

learning, which, together with greater student ownership for their own studies (rather than

parental surveillance), is associated with better learning outcomes.252 Parents should be

supported to learn the ‘language of learning’ so that their children have consistent messages of

support253.

There are ways in which schools and municipalities may take a differentiated and systemic

approach to parental involvement in education to prevent early school leaving254. These may

include community-based family support centres where multidisciplinary teams focus on child

and parent mental health, emotional support and school attendance; and, community-based

lifelong learning centres providing both non-formal and formal learning. Community centres

may be co-located with schools as a way to open schools to the local community after school

hours.

Parent support may be particularly necessary where the child learner has physical disabilities or

the family has a very low income, both of which may lead to reduced access to learning

environments and tools compared to other families.

While this might be at the boundaries of a blended learning approach within the school’s remit

for learning, it is an important way to engage with parents and build bridges with municipalities.

Following the view that "schools do not define education, and they are not the only institutions in

which learning takes place"255, a blended learning approach may enable this to become a reality

by allowing a school or system to redefine school both in terms of the environment (where) and

the tools (with what). However, this is only possible with the necessary support and resources.

252 Hong, S. and Ho, H-Z (2005). Direct and indirect longitudinal effects of parental involvement on student achievement: Second-order latent growth modeling across ethnic groups. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97(1), 32 – 42. Jeynes, W.H (2007). The relationship between parental involvement and urban secondary school student academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Urban Education, 42 (1), 82 – 110. Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge. 253 Clinton, J.M. and Hattie, J. (2013) New Zealand students' perceptions of parental involvement in learning and schooling, Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 33 (3), DOI: 10.1080/02188791.2013.786679 254 Downes, P. (2011). Towards a Differentiated, Holistic and Systemic Approach to Parental Involvement in Europe for Early School Leaving Prevention. European Commission. https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/files/esl/downloads/17_PREVENT_Parental_Involvement.pdf 255 Sefton-Green, J. (2012) Learning at Not-School: A Review of Study, Theory, and Advocacy for Education in Non-Formal Settings. MacArthur Foundation. https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/learning-not-school

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Involvement of other stakeholders

Cooperation with professionals and services in different areas (such as social workers, youth

services and organisations, intercultural mediators, nurses and doctors, psychologists and other

therapists, NGOs and other community-based organisations from sport, cultural environment and

active citizenship sectors, police, local authorities, and others) can be very beneficial to support

the learners and support schools also in the design and the implementation of blended learning.

Hindered progression: addressing fears of “learning loss”

Some stakeholders are reported to have expressed a concern that learners may experience

significant setbacks as a result of the recent experiences of predominantly distance learning.

These concerns may prevail and cause a reluctance to intentionally develop any form of similar

blended learning approach.

Research on ‘learning loss’ following summer holidays may be relevant to these concerns but it

is inconclusive. For example, one study in the US found that students at higher grade levels are

more likely to experience learning loss following summer holidays (with results for gender and

ethnicity constant).256 However, following the earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, there

was no evidence of learning loss, even though schools were closed for weeks.257

In July 2020, UNICEF published a paper on trends and emerging “good” practices to support the

most vulnerable children when re-opening school sites.258 Whilst this provides an overview of

typical concerns measures, the context is of the early months of the pandemic. Nevertheless, its

overarching recommendations may be understood as useful principles for any situation where

there is a concern for certain pupils being at a disadvantaged following a period away from

school; to:

- identify and reach out to vulnerable pupils;

- make support available;

- leverage existing initiatives;

- continue to monitor the effectiveness of initiatives.

Expressing where a learner is expected to be in terms of competence development or curriculum

content goals compared to where they are is not the same as “losing” knowledge or a skill, which

implies no longer being able to recall or do something that was previously known or done. The

256 Cooper, H.M., Nye, B., Charlton, K., Lindsay, J. and Greathouse, S. (1996). The effects of summer vacation on achievement test scores: A narrative and meta-analytic review. Review of Educational Research, 66(3), 227- 268. 257 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-17/will-missing-school-due-to-covid-19-matter-for-school-students/12154266 258 UNICEF (2020) COVID-19: How are Countries Preparing to Mitigate the Learning Loss as Schools Reopen? Trends and emerging good practices to support the most vulnerable children. Available at https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/pdf/COVID-19-How-are-Countries-Preparing-to-Mitigate-the-Learning-Loss-as-Schools-Reopen.pdf

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difference between these two concepts should be acknowledged when analysing evidence or

planning action. In this context, the concept of “loss” may be misleading. Furthermore, the speed

at which a learner may return to a previous (higher) level of competence is not necessarily the

same as the first instance of progression.

Another potentially misleading narrative is the perceived “loss of earnings” (negative impact on

future income from employment) that has been used by journalists, policy makers and parents

alike to justify arguments against school site closures. Unfortunately, no conclusive evidence is

available until the children of current school age reach the age of employment. Economists and

other researchers do regularly update their opinion on what a year of schooling equals in

monetary terms, or the “return on investment”.259 However, this has been newly put alongside

figures describing how many days pupils have not been on the school site in order to calculate a

perceived impact of school site closures on those children’s future income. It assumes that

schools and teachers will have largely failed in their efforts of Emergency Remote Teaching and

will be unable to help students to “catch up” to expected learning outcomes in the future.

The concern for disadvantaged learners is not new, and with some evidence. The Education

Endowment Foundation has tried to quantify “learning loss” during the pandemic in a recent

report.260 It claims to confirm learning loss which is increased due to disadvantage. However, the

report does not link this to future earnings.

Any hindering of learner progression resulting from prolonged school closure in 2020 and 2021

is likely to have been compounded by stress related to the crisis. Research from this period may

not be useful to predict what is likely to happen if blended learning is embedded in a more

strategic and gradual way.

To address the more immediate concerns, it will be vital for teachers and school to assess gaps in

learner competence and to develop plans for remediation. Attention to essential elements of

curricula may also be important. Studies have focused on the “over-crowding of curricula” that is

common across countries, and suggested that a focus on core concepts is more effective than

broad coverage. The counter concern is that a narrowing of the curriculum will have a negative

impact on the broad competence development of future generations.261

Learning software that scaffolds learning according to individual needs may support learners to

address gaps in their learning according to what the curriculum expectations are for their age

group. For example, some learning programmes automatically direct learners to additional

learning materials where their responses demonstrate a need for other prior learning before

progressing to new learning tasks.

259 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09645292.2018.1484426?journalCode=cede20 260 https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Covid-19_Resources/Impact_of_school_closures_KS1_interim_findings_paper_-_Jan_2021.pdf 261 OECD (2020), Curriculum Overload: A Way Forward, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/3081ceca-en.

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Learners may also benefit from peer support – either in conversation with senior pupils in the

school or using social media tools (e.g. discussion boards, blogs, wikis, shared ePortfolios).

Many examples of ways to address the needs of individual learners, developed during projects

and initiatives, exist in the European Toolkit for Schools (see Chapter 4 and footnote).262

262 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools.htm

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3.2.6 Quality assurance and building evidence for future development

Image: stem.T4L on unsplash.com

This section focuses on the ways in which established quality assurance processes may be

usefully adapted to support blended learning.

Ministries recognise that guidance is crucial for supporting teachers, schools, and parents in their

collective endeavour for maintaining and further developing quality education. During the period

of school site closures and re-openings in 2020, topics within national published guidelines

included: what and how to plan reopening of the school; teaching and learning processes; well-

being and psychological support; pupils with Special Education Needs; and communication with

parents.

Conditions for effective quality assurance for school development include ensuring ownership of

the process through meaningful dialogue and actions, and an opportunity for 'out of the box'

thinking and creativity, with an emphasis on improvement more than quality ‘control’.263 Recent

research-based recommendations point towards an effective interplay between internal and

external quality assurance mechanisms – in order to ensure that they best serve school

development and innovation. Blending internal and external evaluation and feedback would

seem to make sense where the teaching and learning is also taking place in diverse environments.

Stakeholders emphasised that processes and people should avoid judgmental approaches and

encourage the sharing of professional practice in a critically reflective manner. For example, the

shift to Emergency Remote Teaching has prompted systemic change in the work of the

263 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/downloads/Governance/2018-wgs2-quality-assurance-school_en.pdf

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inspectors in Ireland.264 Inspectorates may themselves provide guidelines and tools such as

frameworks with quality indicators which also take into account blended learning to be used in

school self-evaluation, or toolkits and guidance documents. These will ideally include the same

indicators used by inspectors.

There are five areas for consideration in which established quality assurance processes may be

usefully adapted to support a new blend of school site and distance learning:

1. How to evaluate, feed back on, and adapt the teaching and learning that happens outside of

school, including assessment, and the combination of school site and distance teaching and

learning

2. How to evaluate, feed back on, and adapt the school climate/culture from a school site and

distance perspective (sense of community and identity, students’ and teachers’ well-being,

working conditions, relationships with stakeholders)

3. How to evaluate, feed back on, and adapt the management of staff ;

4. How to monitor practices and new developments across the system that takes into account

both distance and school site teaching and learning

5. How to manage and incorporate evaluation and feed back of/via other providers (e.g.

broadcast media, publishers, private organisations)

264 See, for example, Ireland’s change from inspections to “advisory visits” including health and safety advice/inspections to give reassurance to the public. See https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/viewpoints/experts/quality-learning-covid-19.htm

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Figure 27: Five areas for adapting established quality assurance processes

Teaching and learning that happens outside of school, and the combination of school site

and distance teaching and learning

If distance learning is not included in quality assurance – i.e. not inspected or at least self-

evaluated and reported – it not only misses an opportunity for valuable feedback but also runs the

risk of a poor reputation compared to other “regulated” learning environments.265 Actions that

could be considered include self-evaluation by the teachers, with or without self-reflection tools,

and peer evaluation by other teachers (internal evaluation).266 This could be complemented by

inspectors (external evaluation) joining online sessions267 as well as classroom visits and

guidelines to teachers on how to evaluate their own practices in blended learning. Inspectors’

advice can help schools to develop the most appropriate strategy for their learners, and help

teachers to design a blended learning process that is fully inclusive, engaging and effective.

265 Bacsich, Paul. (2012). Virtual schools and colleges providing alternatives for successful learning volume 1. p. 113 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339537812_VIRTUAL_SCHOOLS_AND_COLLEGES_PROVIDING_ALTERNATIVES_FOR_SUCCESSFUL_LEARNING_VOLUME_1 266 In August 2020, new questions on distance and blended learning were added to the European Commission’s self-reflection tool on the digital capacity of schools (SELFIE). https://ec.europa.eu/education/schools-go-digital_en 267 https://www.khda.gov.ae/CMS/WebParts/TextEditor/Documents/Distance-Learning-Evaluation-Tool-English.pdf

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EXAMPLE R: Distance Learning Evaluation Tool

The Distance Learning Evaluation Tool is a joint initiative between the UAE Ministry of

Education (MoE), the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the Abu Dhabi

Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and the Sharjah Private Education Authority

Ministry of Education (SPEA) designed to evaluate the quality of distance learning provided by

public and private schools in the UAE.

Teams from these organisations interviewed principals and teachers at public and private schools

across the UAE to discuss the implementation of distance learning by their schools, and to gain

an understanding of how it can be improved. The evaluation covers: a) Students’ distance

learning and wellbeing, b) Teaching and monitoring of students’ learning c) Leading and

managing students’ learning. Each of these zones is subdivided into themes, which are supported

by descriptors. Evaluation criteria and processes were developed and piloted with a number of

public and private schools and insights gained during these pilot evaluations were used. Each

school evaluation will be conducted remotely and is expected to take approximately five hours. It

will include online meetings with the principal and senior leadership team, as well as remote

observation of lessons.

https://www.khda.gov.ae/CMS/WebParts/TextEditor/Documents/Distance-Learning-Evaluation-

Tool-English.pdf

Learning Management Systems (LMSs) may be used to track key indicators regarding pupil

progression in both school site and in distance learning environments. LMSs may be used to

highlight students who are at risk of disengaging from school268, although this will not happen

automatically and requires a conscious focus by the teacher or school to analyse the data.

Although constructed with an older age group of students in mind, the various guidelines for the

quality assurance of distance and e-learning in higher education can still be very relevant and

useful. ENQA’s 2018 Considerations for quality assurance of e-learning provision outlines a

number of different considerations and indicators for external and internal evaluation of

processes and programmes. For example:

“As with traditional, campus-based provision, external quality assurance will take into

account an institution’s particularities – e-learning included. Usually the procedure

will include the involvement of relevant stakeholders at all levels. The teaching and

learning process, the learning resources, the VLE [virtual learning environment], and

the student support system for e-learning will be additionally considered. It is a good

opportunity for institutions to demonstrate their involvement in pedagogical

268 For example, see J Chung, J.-Y and Lee, S. (2019). “Dropout early warning systems for high school students using machine learning,: Children and Youth Services Review, 96, pp. 346-353, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.11.030

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innovation projects and the involvement of stakeholders (students and teaching staff

involved with e-learning) in the design of methodologies.”269

Evaluating the school climate/culture from a school site and distance perspective

Evaluating the sense of community and identity, students’ and teachers’ well-being, working

conditions, and relationships with stakeholders needs to be done from both a school site and

distance perspective.

As an internal (within the school community) approach to generating data and facilitating useful

dialogue, existing networks and organisations could be activated to gather feedback and offer

advice and support to staff and pupils.270 The inclusion of student voice – through student

councils and other informal surveying – may be particularly valuable.

External evaluation of the school climate also requires coherent processes that can generate data

about not only teaching and learning across the different environments, but also how the blended

approach is working effectively in terms of staff and pupil well-being and the sense of

community. Stakeholder engagement in school evaluations - to understand the impact of distance

learning on teacher and student well-being and achievement - can support efforts to engage

parents and other community stakeholders, including researchers, in improvement and

innovation.

Evaluating the management of staff

The combination of school site and distance learning poses challenges in terms of organisation of

work and workload of teachers. Teachers’ work needs to be organised in such a way as to

provide the best education to all students, with additional support to the most vulnerable. This

may be added to existing evaluation of staff resources. Workload is related to teacher well-being

and may also be considered when evaluating the broad school climate/culture (see above).

Effective links between the school strategy for learning and the professional development of its

staff should also be evaluated and improved where appropriate.

269 https://enqa.eu/indirme/Considerations%20for%20QA%20of%20e-learning%20provision.pdf 270 For example, in Estonia, the “Masters teachers” network has been activated to gather feedback from teachers and students about their distance learning experiences and to offer support and advice. Reported in European Training Foundation webinar, 26 May 2020 – Supporting Vocational Teachers under the Lock Down. https://openspace.etf.europa.eu/events/vocational-learning-distance-supporting-vocational-teachers-under-lock-down

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Monitoring practices and new developments across the system

National surveys help to gain diverse perspectives on a broad range of topics.271 During the

school site closures and since, numerous international and national surveys have been

deployed272 as a way of better understanding school, teacher and student experiences. Without

overburdening stakeholders with feedback mechanisms, such practices may be usefully

continued in order to monitor the ongoing situation.

In the short-term, evaluations may address what has worked well in the context of Emergency

Remote Teaching and other innovations that might be carried forward in the context of

developing a blended learning approach. Identification of areas for improvement and

remediation to address any learning losses and impacts on well-being are also important.

Inspectors themselves may also share effective practices based on their broad view of schools

working in a range of contexts. They may also share their own insights and professional

judgment on elements of an effective practice which are relevant for a particular school, and how

these may be tailored to the school’s own context.

High-quality qualitative and quantitative data on school performance provided to schools in user-

friendly formats may support their analysis of successes and areas for improvement. Data should

be relevant, valid and reliable. Digital tools and artificial intelligence have the potential to

support systems in interpreting large amounts data, to compare their progress with schools

working in similar contexts, and to track the school performance over time. However, such

analysis across the system should take into account the specific context of each school as ideally

providing unique learning experiences tailored to the needs of their learners.

Resources developed through a process of in-depth consultation with education practitioners and

that provide sufficient flexibility for schools to adapt them to their own context are likely to be

more user-friendly and relevant across a system.

As emphasised within the stakeholder consultation, it is equally important to exchange on which

approaches have not worked so well, as much as the “success stories” to prevent same mistakes

being made.

Evaluation and feedback of/via other providers

As reported above, numerous countries activated broadcast media (television and radio) to

provide learning content to a mass pupil audience.273 However, in the context of quality

assurance, how those providers are evaluated alongside other education providers is less clear

and may need to be reviewed.

271 ET2020 Working Group Schools (2018). European ideas for better learning: the governance of school education systems, Brussels, p. 16. Available at https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/governance-of-school-edu.htm 272 For example: https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/viewpoints/surveys/survey-on-online-teaching.htm 273 See https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech/brief/how-countries-are-using-edtech-to-support-remote-learning-

during-the-covid-19-pandemic

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Also as reported above, private organisations (website hosts, software developers, app designers)

can help to shape learning experiences. Strict protocols on data protection withstanding, these

providers may generate useful feedback to systems and schools. This could be generated directly

from learner responses, for example “likes”, comments, and quiz responses.

External partners – or “critical friends”274 - such as teachers and school leaders from other

schools, representatives of a local authority, or researchers may also provide external advice.

They are seen as trusted peers from outside the school who can provide evaluative feedback and

bring new insights while also developing their own evaluation skills. It may be that the

community of critical friends is extended to include educational technology developers and

NGOs that have a good level of expertise in online learning and the use of digital tools.

274 The ET2020 Working Group Schools (2018-2020) used the term “critical friends” to describe external partners in quality assurance and define their role as being more positive and reflective that negative and judgemental.

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Photo by stem.T4L on Unsplash

4. Supporting the development of

blended learning within primary and

secondary education Photo by Brandon Gurney on Unsplash

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4. Supporting the development of blended

learning within primary and secondary

education

This chapter outlines potential first steps in addressing the design, implementation and

monitoring of blended learning in primary and secondary education. It describes existing

EU frameworks and tools that can support the European school education community.

The Recommendation is based on the premise that, to be more inclusive, and to enable broad

competence development, teachers and schools need to better integrate (blend) different

environments and tools within engaging and effective learning tasks.

In consultation with the ET2020 Working Group Schools in 2020 (representatives of ministries

of education and European education stakeholder organisations) it was emphasised that, to make

such a blended learning approach effective, schools and systems need to continually

develop their approaches to both the design of learning (the learning process that is created by

the teacher) and the design of schooling (the way that schools and systems are organized and

managed). The main stakeholders involved are pupils, teachers, school leaders and

parents/families. This ongoing developmental work should be supported by collaboration

within and between communities and quality assurance mechanisms.

As described in Chapter 2, blended learning is not new. Young people have been learning on and

away from the school site – at home; in museums and sports centres; at famrs, factories and other

work places – for decades. The questions it raises are also not new: how can schools embed

different tools, including powerful digital technology, and different tasks into pedagogical

practice, in order to extend learning beyond the physical classroom and maximise its role in

teaching, learning and assessment? How can systems move beyond a learning design that is

dominated by older tools, such as paper textbooks? How can learners take more ownership of

their learning in advance of class and how can the teacher become more of a facilitator than

dominating the process? How can they connect with other learners and inspiring experts who are

outside the walls of their classroom? How can meaningful learning experiences be created where

learners are equipped with the confidence and competences to become lifelong learners?

What the recent experiences have highlighted is that these questions cannot be answered by

teachers alone - action needs to be embedded into all aspects of the school education system.

This chapter highlights potential first steps in addressing the implementation and monitoring of

blended learning in primary and secondary education. It describes existing EU frameworks and

tools that can support the European school education community.

Photo by Brandon Gurney on Unsplash

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Figure 28: Considerations for a blended learning approach and ongoing school education

development

4.1 Challenges for implementation

A clear lesson that has been learnt – not only from the pandemic but also from recent reforms –

is that change in education requires a clear vision and a co-ordinated approach by the whole of

the system. This includes ongoing dialogue with all stakeholder groups to ensure that their needs

are reflected in any changes, that decisions are informed by evidence, and that stakeholders can

take forward the work, motivated with a sense of ownership.

In 2020, a number of systems brought in new legislation to give a legal basis for permitting and

supporting certain practices and levels of decision-making by schools and local authorities. This

experience is one that could be a useful basis for the future development of school education.

Another challenge, well-known but highlighted by the pandemic, is ensuring and prioritising

sufficient investment in not only learning tools and environments, but also in the existence,

working conditions and professional development of qualified staff (as explored in Chapter 3).

This section briefly explores these challenges, highlighting the key areas that Member States

may take into consideration.

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4.1.1 Clear vision and co-ordinated approach by the whole of the system

“First, the big vision and the big picture should be laid out in an

overall document, such as a master plan. Above all, this

document should set out in a well-founded way how the

individual ideas and measures it contains are meaningfully

interrelated and mutually supportive. Second, it needs sufficient

space and resources for communication. Hierarchical and

systematic communication with [ministry] departments is just as

important here as exchange at the level of specialist expertise in a

horizontal manner with stakeholders and experts. Third, all

activities should tie in as much as possible with developments and

processes already in the system.”

(Ministry representative)

As highlighted in consultations with stakeholders, the importance of having a clear rationale and

set of goals for any change cannot be underestimated. This needs to be explored and articulated

by, and on behalf of, all stakeholder groups. This does not necessarily need to be a complete

change of approach but may be linked with existing developments and priorities. With research

literature highlighting sources of teacher and school leader stress and burnout as being the

increase of bureaucracy and delivery demands with fewer resources275, it would seem prudent to

consider how new national plans are communicated and what the expectations are.

Figure 27 (below) presents different elements of the system that need to be engaged in

developing a blended learning approach:

Governing bodies: the Ministry of Education and other system authorities;

Evidence and monitoring: research community, expert networks and quality assurance

agents (including inspectorates);

Formal education institutions: early learning settings, schools, VET institutions and

universities and colleagues (higher education);

Wider community: support organisations (which may include trade unions), families, and

public services;

Resources industry: providers of tools and environments, taking into account the needs of

people within the system.

Whilst each element is known in isolation what must happen in order to better integrate distance

learning environments and a range of learning tools is to have more effective relationships

275 OECD (2020) Teachers’ well-being: a framework for data collection and analysis. OECD Education Working Paper No. 213. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=EDU/WKP(2020)1&docLanguage=En

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between these elements. These relationships will need to be articulated and supported at national

level, which can also be supported at EU level.

For example, the important role of the education resources industry, particular education

technology, should be acknowledged. On one hand, the education technology industry can

provide ready-made hardware and software, and, on the other, effective dialogue could help to

design solutions to issues such as rethinking approaches to assessment for a whole system. There

also needs to be a close relationship between research, the governing bodies and the

institutions in order to support the continual emergence of evidence and inform policy-making

as well as local practice.

Networking on regional levels can also help with maintaining these relationships and with

adapting and implementing national plans.

Figure 29: The roles and relationships between education stakeholders276

As described in Chapter 2 (2.1.2), the experiences of education stakeholders during the pandemic

may have a strong impact on their motivation for and against areas of development or “change”.

Those leading future action – whether a central authority, municipal director, or school head –

will need to be sensitive to very different points of view. It will be important to engage with

stakeholders to reflect on recent and ongoing experiences in order to create a collective positive

approach to developing learning design and schooling. These approaches should acknowledge

276 Inspired by A. McCoshan, Dublin City University (2021 stakeholder consultation discussion) and Machumu, H.J. and Zhu, C. (2019) Ch.2 - Building a Conceptual Relational Model Among Blended Learning Aspects in K-20 Education, Emerging Techniques and Applications for Blended Learning in K-20 Classrooms, ed. Kyei-Blankson, Lydia, Ntuli, Esther, Nur-Awaleh, Mohamed A. IGI Global.

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evidence from the local level and appreciate what is possible based on any new competences and

relationships that have been developed by schools and educators.

4.1.2 Developing a legal basis for enabling and supporting blended learning

Legal frameworks set out expectations and principles for school education and create a,

potentially flexible, structure - a “frame” – for the governing authorities (local authorities, school

board, and school leadership team) carry out the necessary actions and other specific measures,

in the most appropriate way.

As blended learning may be a significant change in practice for school communities, legislation

may be a pre-requisite for enabling change to happen but should also be viewed as positive

support and offering protection for all stakeholders.

A legal framework might, therefore, be considered useful for:

i. Authorising the use of blended learning as part of “school” education and formally

valuing it for both primary and secondary education;

ii. Establishing clear expectations for all schools that gives confidence to the community

and system of guaranteeing the same core provision to all educators and learners;

iii. Recognising the evidence base for blended learning guidelines and expectations (e.g.

recent national or international research; pilot projects; planned review process for future

development);

iv. Describing how curricula and assessment may be approached or adjusted to function

effectively through both school site and distance learning;

v. Setting guidelines for school organisation (for example, the division of responsibility

between school site and other environments; the use of Learning Management Systems

and other resources; minimum or maximum hours/days of distance learning per semester)

whilst being flexible and encouraging innovation of practice;

vi. Requiring that teachers and school leaders have access to high quality professional

development and other support for blended learning; formally establishing collaborative

peer learning networks, and adapting Initial Teacher Education and teacher competence

frameworks, if appropriate;

vii. Defining related legal requirements that support blended learning to be effective (e.g.

availability of support in the community; expectations for home environment; access to

meals; setting boundaries or guidelines for private and non-profit providers; formal

agreements with cultural organisations and broadcast media);

viii. Identifying the necessary adaptation of established quality assurance processes;

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ix. Ensure that expectations for blended learning in school education are coherent with

existing frameworks at other education levels (VET, Higher Education and Adult

Learning).

Legislation should be transparent about the roles and relationships between different

stakeholders. Ministries, education authorities, training providers, school leadership, and the

various policies and frameworks may be in a position of power or authority in the process.

However, change is not possible without - and may in fact be initiated by - the teachers and their

self-development and collaboration. Pupils play an equal part in enabling blended learning to

function as an approach as it also depends on their own capacity to actively participate as

individuals and groups in a spirit of creativity and inquiry.

4.1.3 Infrastructure: the need for investment

As Figure 27 (above) indicates that there are different areas and roles within the broad education

system which each may be assumed – or designated – as responsible for improving school

education.

An essential consideration is who is responsible for financing the necessary investment. During

consultation discussions, stakeholders stressed that schools cannot always pay for “additional”

items and families sometimes have to bear this cost.

Embedding a blended learning approach may encourage schools to work effectively with outdoor

education, businesses, and cultural organisations. This may include national guidelines or

specific investments like transport costs to bring pupils to new environments.

Whilst investment in human and social capital is necessary to promote a different teaching and

learning culture, investment in connectivity (broadband) and digital devices is important for

equity.

Open education networks may help with access to resources and open source software can lower

costs. Guidance in navigating these will be necessary because it requires public institutions (local

authorities and schools) negotiating with private companies. National or European standards that

platforms - commercial or open source - are required to follow may help in this respect.

“The infrastructure in schools and on learning facilities outside

schools should be improved, so that blended learning in different

environments can be structurally implemented… This should be

stimulated and facilitated by governments and supported

financially.” (Teacher)

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4.2 European frameworks – competence and strategic guidance

Frameworks can guide professional development and curricula by defining competences. They

can also guide organisational practice by defining strategies or quality standards. Whilst Member

States are likely to have their own frameworks, this section describes the various EU frameworks

that exist and that could be used as a reference for developing a framework at a national level for

a blended learning approach.

European Commission’s Digital Competence Frameworks

Digital competence is one of the eight Key Competences for Lifelong Learning described by the

European Commission (see Chapter 2.2).

The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens277 is a five dimension framework including:

(1) Information and Data Literacy, (2) Communication and Collaboration, (3) Digital Content

Creation, (4) Safety, and (5) Problem Solving. The framework helps to assess the development

of citizens’ competences, career guidance, and promotion using learning outcomes. Ideally its

use will help to harness digital technologies for innovation and training in a process of lifelong

learning to manage the need for new and changing digital skills for professional and personal

development and social inclusion.

Figure 30: Schematic View of European Commission’s Digital Competence Framework for Citizens.

277 https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=15688&langId=en

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The current version is labelled DigComp 2.1 and it focuses on expanding the initial three

proficiency levels to a more fine-grained eight level description as well as providing examples of

use for these eight levels. Its aim is to support stakeholders with the further implementation of

DigComp278. It has been the basis for the development of a Digital competence framework for

educators (DigCompEdu), for educational organisations (DigCompOrg), and consumers

(DigCompConsumers).

As evidenced in the OECD Learning Compass 2030279 and many of the other frameworks,

digital technology pervades many aspect of the education system, in both formal and non-

formal learning. As such, the European Commission’s DigCompOrg framework280 aims to

support a change in teaching and learning by enhancing the organisations’ capacity for

innovation and to best integrate and utilise digital tools. This approach can add value through its

promotion of transparency, comparability and peer-learning.

278 The framework is currently under review and a new version is planned for release in the course of 2021. 279 https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/teaching-and-learning/learning/ 280 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/digcomporg/framework

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Figure 31: Schematic View of European Commission’s Digitally Competent Educational

Organisations (DigCompOrg) Framework.

The European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators281 addresses the key

digital competences an educator should have, as a professional in his/her professional context, as

well as a facilitator for the development of the learners’ digital competence. The framework

describes the educators’ digital competences under 6 areas: professional engagement, teaching

and learning, assessment, digital resources, empowering learners and facilitating learners’ digital

competence.

The importance of DigCompEdu282 in the context of teacher professional development is that it

describes a spectrum of digital engagement, ability, and confidence. Not all educators can be

expected to be highly competent in all areas and using such a framework for self-evaluation can

help individuals and institutions plan their development and training needs. For this purpose, the

DigCompEdu also includes a progression model.

281 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/digcompedu 282 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports/european-framework-digital-competence-educators-digcompedu

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Figure 32: Schematic view of European Commission’s Digital Competence Framework for Educators

Figure 33: Progression model of the European Commission’s DigCompEdu

Personal, Social & Learning to Learn Competence Framework (LifeComp)

Personal, Social & Learning to Learn competence is one of the eight Key Competences for

Lifelong Learning described by the European Commission. ‘LifeComp’ - the European

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framework for Personal, Social and Learning to Learn key competence - is a recognition that this

key competence is inextricably linked to – and enables - the other eight key competences.283

LifeComp is made up of three intertwined competence areas: ‘Personal’, ‘Social’, and ‘Learning

to Learn’. Each area includes three sub-competences: Self-regulation, Flexibility, Wellbeing

(Personal Area), Empathy, Communication, Collaboration (Social Area), Growth mind-set,

Critical thinking, and Managing learning (Learning to learn Area). Each sub-competence has, in

turn, three descriptors which generally correspond to the ‘awareness, understanding, action’

model.

These are not to be understood as a hierarchy of different levels of relevance, whereby some are

prerequisites for others. Rather, all of them are to be considered complementary and necessary.

As discussed in Chapters 2 and 3, these competence areas are a pre-condition for, and can be

further developed within, learning within a blended learning approach.

Figure 34: Framework for the Personal, Social & Learning to Learn Key Competence (LifeComp)

283 https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/eur-scientific-and-technical-research-reports/lifecomp-european-framework-personal-social-and-learning-learn-key-competence

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4.3 European tools that support the broad school education

community

This section outlines the European Commission tools that already exist to offer direct support to

different education stakeholders.

Erasmus+: blended mobility and capacity building

The previous Erasmus+ programme (2014-2020)284 has offered many opportunities to support

the development of schools, school education professionals, and pupils. These opportunities will

be reinforced in the new programme (2021-2027) around three main strands, and could support

the development of a blended learning approach:

I. Partnerships for cooperation for any kind of school education organisations to

exchange good practices, experiences and design together innovative teaching

methodologies and products with their peers in other European countries. Such

cooperation is an effective way to be inspired and develop competences in pedagogical

approaches.

II. Professional development through mobility activities: a period spent in another school

abroad or in a training course enables teachers and school leaders to develop their

competences. Mobility activities are a means to address individual training needs in

specific areas such as digital skills, necessary for organising blended learning.

III. Blended mobility: The Erasmus+ programme supports blended mobility, which is the

combination of physical mobility of teachers or learners with a virtual component

facilitating collaborative online learning exchange (for example through eTwinning - see

below). Blended mobility makes an additional contribution to improving digital

competence due to the online element. The next programme will strengthen and further

encourage the use of virtual cooperation to complement physical mobility.

284 See the Erasmus+ homepage, available in different languages https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/node_en

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Online professional development and collaboration

eTwinning285 is the community for schools in Europe, offering teachers and school staff a safe

platform for collaboration and professional development free of charge. Teachers from 34

Erasmus+ programme countries and 10 Erasmus+ partner countries are able to develop projects

and take part in thematic discussion groups, webinars and other learning events, both online and

on-site. Due to its range of online tools and services, eTwinning is well-placed to support a

blended learning approach.

In the "eTwinning Live" restricted area, teachers can search for other registered eTwinners and

schools, connect with them and follow their activities. Teachers can access all of the online and

on-site events created by eTwinners, and can also create their own. Teachers can create their own

projects and activities on different topics by collaborating with two or more teachers and their

students. In the "TwinSpace", visible only to those participating in a specific project, teacher and

students can meet and collaborate with peers from their partner schools.

The European Commission’s School Education Gateway platform

(www.schooleducationgateway.eu), offers Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) developed

by a team of online learning experts with the support of a Professional Development Advisory

Board. It has now further developed its professional development offer to include both long (4-6

week) and short (1-2 week) courses for teachers, school leaders and other education staff from

across Europe, plus regular webinars featuring guest experts and collaborative project leaders on

different topics.

The offer includes a new long course on “Bridging Distance and In-School Learning: Blended

Learning in Practice,” launched at the end of March 2021.286

In 2022, the two platforms – eTwinning and School Education Gateway – will be integrated into

a single European online platform offering a vast array of resources, tools and events to support

professional, school and system development.

285 See the eTwinning platform, available in different languages https://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/index.htm 286 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/teacher_academy/catalogue/detail.cfm?id=177634

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European Toolkit for Schools

The online European Toolkit for Schools287 offers concrete ideas for improving collaboration

within, between and beyond schools with a view to enabling all children and young people to

succeed in school. School leaders, teachers, parents and other people involved in different

aspects of school life can find helpful information, examples of measures and resource material

to inspire their efforts in providing inclusive school education.

The Toolkit features a self-assessment questionnaire288 to help schools evaluate their current

capacity and identify areas for improvement and contains a variety of resources, ranging from

research studies, project reports, to specific examples of school practices, describing how each

measure was successfully implemented. It has a particular focus on measures to prevent Early

School Leaving, which can have a broader application to improving the school climate and

community.

SELFIE – self-evaluation tool for schools supporting a whole-school approach to

technology use, digital competence, and blended learning

SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational

Technologies)289 is a tool designed to help schools embed digital technologies into teaching,

learning and student assessment. It can highlight what is working well, where improvement is

needed and what the priorities should be. The tool was launched in 2018 and is currently

available in more than 30 languages.

SELFIE gathers – anonymously – the views of students, teachers and school leaders on how

technology is used in their school. This is done using short statements and questions and a simple

1-5 agreement scale. The statements cover areas such as leadership, infrastructure, teacher

training and students’ digital competence. Based on this input, the tool generates a report – a

snapshot “selfie” - of a school‘s strengths and weaknesses in their use of digital technologies for

teaching and learning. The report can help to start a conversation on technology use and develop

an action plan for the school. SELFIE can then be used at a later stage to gauge progress and

adapt the action plan.

287 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools.htm 288 https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/en/pub/resources/toolkitsforschools/self-assessment.htm 289 https://ec.europa.eu/education/schools-go-digital_en

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As part of the new Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027, more features are planned for the

tool regarding online and blended learning.

In the September 2020 release of the tool, following consultation with experts and schools, a

number of questions for students were added on home learning290 for example:

Do students have an appropriate space for study?

Can they use the digital tools and apps needed for learning?

What do they do if they need technical help?

Further questions were added on resilience and student autonomy:

Are students learning to handle challenges and difficulties they face in remote learning?

How do they manage their time and structure learning?

Any school using the tool can create up to 10 questions of their own. In the case of a blended

learning strategy this could include additional questions on local community partnerships or

student well-being.

A new tool, SELFIE for Teachers291, aims to support educators’ leadership competence as well

their role as innovation and change agents in their school. Through their self-reflection on their

digital skills, teachers can identify their strengths and gaps to further develop their digital

competence, including blended learning approaches. Through, the tool proficiency levels,

educators are prompted to a progression from awareness to exploration, integration to expertise

and leadership to innovation. Educators’ proficiency is also extending from teacher’s individual

capacity to the school collective capacity, contributing to the school collaborative learning

culture. Moreover, educators’ proficiency, is progressing from everyday blended learning

practices to strategy practices on school level and beyond, enabling educators as change agents

in their school community.

SELFIE for Work-Based Learning (WBL) was piloted between September and December

2020 involving around 35,000 participants from around 150 VET schools and 300 companies in

9 countries (Germany, France, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Georgia, Montenegro, Republic of

Serbia, Turkey). This was undertaken by the Joint Research Centre in partnership with EfVET

and the European Training Foundation and national coordinators in each country. Responses

gathered so far show that many schools also intend to use SELFIE WBL once it is officially

released. After further improvements, SELFIE WBL is planned to be available by mid-2021.

290 SELFIE questions on remote learning https://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/education/files/document-library-docs/selfie-questions-remote-sept20_en.pdf 291 https://digcompedu.jrc.es

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European Week of Sport and Healthy Lifestyle for All

The European Week of Sport was launched in 2015 to build awareness of how important an

active lifestyle is for everyone.292 The European School Sports Day293 aims to: raise the profile

of physical education (PE) and sport in schools; create fun and enjoyment through physical

activity for young people; promote health and wellbeing for lifelong learning; encourage social

inclusion and develop social competence amongst students; and connect schools across other

European countries. The event is supported by co-ordinators and a website where schools can

access resources and connect with other schools.

Following the 2017 Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle294, the new initiative,

“HealthyLifestyle4All” will be launched in 2021 and will focus on the promotion of sport,

physical activity and healthy diets. The campaign will invite Member States, regional and local

governments, and civil society representatives to work together.

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation of developments in blended learning

The Recommendation proposes to support Member States in monitoring the development of

blended learning in the future. This is important to ensuring the legacy of the Recommendation

and supporting action at local, national and European level.

There are tools available that could help in this regard:

Countries and systems may share findings from their own quality assurance mechanisms and

complementary research via European peer learning and peer counselling, supported as part of

the new Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the

European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030).295 The Council Resolution defines that “the

strategic framework should draw on peer learning, peer counselling and the exchange of good

practice, with particular focus on the dissemination and clear visibility of outcomes, as well as

national impact.” Furthermore, it describes that “European cooperation in the aforementioned

priority areas should be carried out by such means as peer learning and peer counselling

activities, conferences and seminars, workshops, high level fora or expert groups, panels, studies

292 European Week of Sport - https://ec.europa.eu/sport/week_en 293 European School Sports Day - https://www.essd.eu/ 294 Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle - https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_19_3028 295 2021/C 66/01 – legal text available at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021G0226%2801%29

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and analyses, web-based cooperation and, where appropriate, with the involvement of relevant

stakeholders.”

The European Commission’s Education and Training Monitor296 gathers a wide range of

evidence to indicate the evolution of national education and training systems across the European

Union. The report measures countries’ progress towards agreed targets and European

cooperation in education and training. It also provides insights into measures taken to address

education-related issues as part of the European Semester process.297 The Monitor offers

suggestions for policy reforms that can help to make national education and training systems

more responsive to societal and labour market needs. Furthermore, the report helps to identify

where EU funding for education, training and skills should be targeted through the EU's next

long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework. The Monitor comprises a cross-country

comparison and 27 in-depth country reports.

As part of the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027, a new European Digital Education

Hub is proposed, in order to link national and regional digital education initiatives and actors;

and support cross-sector collaboration and new models for exchange of digital learning content,

addressing issues such as common standards, interoperability, accessibility and quality-

assurance. This may also be a useful vehicle for the monitoring and evaluation of specific digital

elements of blended learning.298

4.5 European funding for developing blended learning in primary and

secondary education

Erasmus+299 is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport. It has a

budget of €26.526 billion, compared with €14.9 billion for 2014-2020. This will be

complemented by about €2.2 billion from the EU’s external instruments. It will provide

opportunities for millions of participants to study, train, gain experience, and volunteer abroad.

In addition to offering grants, Erasmus+ also supports teaching, research, networking and policy

debate on EU topics.

296 https://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/strategic-framework/et-monitor_en 297 The European Semester provides a framework for the coordination of economic policies across the European Union. It allows EU countries to discuss their economic and budget plans and monitor progress at specific times throughout the year. https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/economic-and-fiscal-policy-coordination/eu-economic-governance-monitoring-prevention-correction/european-semester_en 298 Further information will be available at https://ec.europa.eu/education/education-in-the-eu/digital-education-action-plan_en 299 https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/node_en

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In 2018 the Commission proposed an ambitious research and innovation programme - Horizon

Europe300 - to succeed Horizon 2020. It has a budget of €95.5 billion to tackle climate change

and help to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and to boost the EU’s

competitiveness and growth. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact

of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while

tackling global challenges. It supports the creation and better dispersing of excellent knowledge

and technologies.

The Recovery and Resilience Facility301 will make €672.5 billion in loans and grants available

to support reforms and investments undertaken by Member States. The aim is to mitigate the

economic and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic and make European economies and

societies more sustainable, resilient and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of

the green and digital transitions. Member States will prepare recovery and resilience plans that

set out a coherent package of reforms and public investment projects. To benefit from the

support of the Facility, these reforms and investments should be implemented by 2026.

The European Social Fund (ESF)302 is Europe’s main instrument (EUR 98 billion in current

prices, complemented by EUR 0.54 billion to be directly managed by the Commission) for

supporting jobs, helping people get better jobs and ensuring fairer job opportunities for all EU

citizens. It works by investing in Europe’s human capital – its workers, its young people and all

those seeking a job. There is a great variety in the nature, size and aims of ESF projects, and they

address a wide variety of target groups. There are projects aimed at education systems, teachers

and schoolchildren; at young and older job-seekers; and at potential entrepreneurs from all

backgrounds. People are the focus of the ESF.

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)303 invests in education infrastructure and

equipment and creates incentives for educational reforms in the Member States. Nearly EUR 7

billion of ERDF resources have been invested in education, training and lifelong learning in the

2014-2020 programming period. This includes mainly infrastructure support, for example for

early childhood education and care, primary and general secondary education, and vocational

and adult education, but also e-learning equipment. This type of support will continue in the

2021-2027 period, with an ERDF specific objective aiming at improving equal access to

inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through developing

accessible infrastructure, including by fostering resilience for distance and on-line education and

training. In this context, ERDF could support, for example, school and out-of-school

infrastructure and/or equipment to build inclusive and quality education and training, including

through the provision of accessible remote learning opportunities. It could also be used for

providing conditions for digital education, including access to internet, purchase of digital

equipment and e-learning applications and platforms for schools, with a particular attention to

300 https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe_en 301 https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/recovery-coronavirus/recovery-and-resilience-facility_en 302 https://ec.europa.eu/esf/home.jsp?langId=en 303 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.cfm

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marginalized students, including those living in rural and remote areas including the outermost

regions and island communities.

The Technical Support Instrument (TSI)304 is the EU programme (€864 million for the period

2021-2027) on the basis of which the Commission provides tailor-made technical expertise to

EU Member States to design and implement reforms. The support is demand driven and does not

require co-financing from Member States. It is an important pillar of the EU’s initiative to help

Member States recover from the COVID-19 crisis in a way that embraces the digital

transformation. The Commission stands ready to provide Member States expert support for

reforms in digital education, reskilling and upskilling educators, including through cross-country

technical support projects, whenever Member States deem it suitable. The TSI enables Member

States to enhance the structural transformation of their education systems so that education

systems adapt and thrive The Commission is already supporting a number of Member States to

enhance the digitalisation of their education system, including through national curriculum

reforms, educational media strategies, the digital transition of schools and reforms of teacher

education.

304 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes/overview-funding-programmes/technical-support-instrument-tsi_en

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5. A framework for Blended Learning

Image on pixabay.com

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5. A framework for Blended Learning

This framework provides a definition of blended learning that encompasses a broad

understanding of learning environments and tools, appropriate to a variety of school

education context and learner circumstances.

This framework also outlines a set of challenges and proposals for policy measures to

ensure effective blended learning for high quality and inclusive primary and secondary

education.

Based on the examples and evidence discussed in the other sections of this document, it

provides policy makers with guidance and examples of good practice on 10 specific areas in

order to: support competence and willing practitioners; ensure access to and a competent

use of appropriate learning environments and tools; support all schools within the

education ecosystem, including closely-related sectors.

Definition of blended learning

Blended learning happens when an educator or learner takes more than one approach to the

learning:

- Blending school site and distance305 learning environments;

- Blending different tools for learning that can be digital (including online) and non-

digital306.

Using their professional judgement, teachers and schools will select and facilitate the use of

these in a variety of combinations as part of engaging and effective learning tasks that support

broad competence development, as appropriate to the age, capacity and circumstances of the

learners and intended learning outcomes.

305 The distance learning environment may include: the home; public libraries, museums and galleries; farms, factories, and other places of work; parks, forests and waterways; hospitals (in the case of sick or injured children), or sports centres and film studios (in the case of children on professional contracts). 306 Online learning is defined as that which takes place with the use of digital technology to connect different devices and to facilitate an interaction between the learner and: other learners; learning programmes; and other content as sources of information. Digital learning tools do not always need to be connected to the Internet and can include: smart boards and projectors for collaboration in classrooms; mobile devices and laptops with applications for designing, exploring and sharing work; television and radio for following recorded programmes; and Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality tools and application for enhanced interactivity. Other tools include: scientific equipment, sports equipment, craft tools, realia (objects found and used in everyday life), published texts, and writing and visual arts tools.

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In a blended learning approach, all environments that are an effective shared space for learning

are given equal importance and consideration, in order to make the most of the opportunity for

interaction between pupils, between staff, and between pupils and staff.

Blended learning strongly relies on the capacity of teachers and learners to be able to use and

adapt the environments and tools as appropriate to the learning task and desired learning goal.

Specifically, teachers and learners need to be able to:

- Work confidently and competently with peers and independently when necessary;

- Manage the learning process for oneself or on behalf of others;

- Be familiar with, and safe within, a range of environments and tools;

- Communicate ideas and ask for assistance when needed, either in person or via

communication tools;

- Trust and collaborate with others in the wider school community, for example cultural

professionals or work-place mentors;

- Carry a sense of learning and development across a number of different occasions,

recognising how one has developed and where to progress next.

A blended learning approach can be applied at the micro level – designed as a learning process

with a group of learners - , the meso level - a strategic approach by a school to facilitate blending

learning -, and the macro level – embedded as a system-wide approach.

Policy measures

1) Equal right of all learners:

Systems need to support the right of all leaners to quality and inclusive school education, and

ensure opportunities for all learners to develop a broad range of key competences, irrespective of

their circumstances and according to their learning needs.

This ongoing challenge of inclusion was heightened by pandemic restrictions that prevented

access to a variety of environments and tools and narrowed the scope of school education for all

learners.

Whilst blended learning has many benefits, there is a challenge to provide sufficient targeted

support to learners who may still be disadvantaged whilst learning in different environments and

with different tools.

Good practice:

a) Promoting and reinforcing the blending of school site and distance learning

environments in order to create more flexibility and appropriate conditions for

learning.

b) Supporting the development and embedding of different tools for learning,

including digital tools where appropriate, in order to provide opportunities for

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individual and collaborative investigation and expression and to support creative

learning across different environments, depending on the age, capacity, and specific

learning needs of the pupils.

c) Ensuring targeted support to young learners facing disadvantages, or having special

educational needs, to fulfil their potential within a blended learning approach,

including: language learning; additional individual support in whole class

situations; emotional support; assistive technology; access to learning tools and

content; peer coaching; transport costs and costs of accessing different learning

environments. Ensure that teacher professional development fosters a better and

more widespread understanding of these different forms of support.

2) System-wide approach:

Blended learning requires a system-wide approach to be inclusive, effective and engaging for all

learners, and to keep pace with economic and social changes. This is a problem for education

systems as they can be isolated from other sectors.

Developing an effective blended learning approach for a whole education system requires input

from a range of stakeholders in order to generate useful feedback and ideas for future

development or policy reform.

Different elements of the education system can also be isolated from each other, whereas they

must work in synergy, with no one element left unsupported. This became obvious during the

pandemic by the gaps that appeared and grew, and by the increased stress suffered by teachers

and school leaders, pupils, and their families. Not restricted to the pandemic, change without

dialogue and engagement has faced resistance and lack of implementation.

Good practice:

a) Supporting collaboration on educational challenges between a wide range of cross-

sectoral stakeholders, including teachers and school leaders, and engage them in

system development processes regarding blended learning.

b) Encouraging schools to collaborate more closely with local community stakeholders

in order to ensure the continuity and improvement of learning in school site and

distance learning environments and with different tools.

c) Recognising and valuing school leaders and teachers as the key “change makers”,

and providing them with enhanced support to develop their practice in a blended

learning approach and address local-level challenges in the most appropriate way.

d) Acknowledging the expertise of some schools and organisations with extensive

experience in blended learning, including schools in rural and remote areas, and

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those supporting learning full-time in the home or other alternative learning

environments.

e) Supporting collaboration with the educational resources industry (including

technology, publishing, and other curriculum equipment) and educational research.

3) Supporting educators:

Educational staff need help to design for blended learning design as appropriate to their learning

context. They need help to be competent in facilitating learning with a range of indoor and

outdoor environments, tools and tasks.

One size does not fit all. Education staff need to be able to learn from others and then develop

their own blended learning approach in their specific contexts. The development of innovative

approaches should be guided by – and provide further - robust evidence of improving inclusion

and broad competence development. Teachers can benefit from partnerships with external

learning facilitators to mutually develop their practices.

Good practice:

a) Providing access to centres of expertise, and to appropriate resources that guide

pedagogical design.

b) Embedding blended learning design in statutory Initial Teacher Education and

Continued Professional Development programmes.

c) Facilitating staff exchanges and peer learning, networks, collaboration projects, and

communities of practice on blended learning to improve pedagogical practice.

d) Encouraging teacher participation in exploratory projects or scientific research as

part of school and professional development, for example: testing the use of tasks in

other learning environments and testing different ways of using of digital technology

to support learning.

4) Collaboration:

Blended learning depends greatly on the effective collaboration within schools and between

schools and the wider community. In the pandemic, educational staff were cut off from other

local stakeholders and need increased efforts to repair the gaps and collaborate better in the

future.

Diverse environments may be particularly lacking in socio-economically deprived areas or due to

geographical location. Teachers and learners are then placed at a disadvantage in competence

development compared to other schools.

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Blended learning can support those who are part of traveller communities; young carers; those

with health issues or residing in hospitals and care centres; those engaged in high-performance

training; and those in long periods of vocational training or paid work. The challenge is that

intermediaries are often needed to liaise between schools and families/children.

Good practice in school education:

a) Supporting teachers and school leaders to work effectively with local employers and

work-place trainers, cultural practitioners, and social partners (including in health,

welfare, youth, migration).

b) Improving parents’ and families’ understanding of learning environments, tools and

tasks via system and/or the school communication and guidance.

c) Supporting effective partnerships for infrastructure and resources between

different education providers, including from business, arts, cultural heritage, sport,

nature, higher education, and research institutes.

d) Supporting school and system collaboration with private organisations or public

agencies that provide or oversee school-level education for young people who cannot

attend the school site on a full-time basis.

5) Access:

Even before the pandemic, some schools, teachers and learners were reported to have limited

access to different learning tools: digital devices including smart white boards and projectors;

equipment for practical science investigations; arts and crafts materials; musical instruments;

sports equipment for different games; and simple electronics and construction tools.

Learners need a range of tools to develop a broad range of competences, including different

modes of investigation and expression. They will have had limited access for over a year or may

have had limited access their entire school career.

Good practice:

a) Invest in a range of learning tools that enhances both theoretical and practical

knowledge and understanding.

b) Provide guidance to schools and professionals as to how such tools can be used

across the curriculum.

6) Well-being:

School site closures increased the belief in the need of the school as a community for leaner

mental health and emotional well-being. Reduced contact and exchange had a negative impact on

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the mental health and well-being of learners, teachers and families. Furthermore, “learning

together” and a “sense of belonging” is an important experience that supports competence

development and was reduced during the pandemic. The challenge is to rediscover and further

promote social learning. Stakeholders call for supporting a school culture that promotes

emotional well-being and a healthy lifestyle.

The pandemic revealed that many learners were unprepared to manage their own learning. On

the other hand, there were reports that teachers and pupils discovered and benefitted from new

ways to learn, independently and collaboratively, and the challenge is to build on this positive

change and address any low levels of capacity.

An effective blended learning approach requires both collaborative and independent learning,

adapted to the age and capacity of students. Blended learning also further develops these

capacities through experience.

Good practice:

a) Encouraging schools to provide adequate opportunities for social learning in

different environments and with different tools in order to enhance learner well-

being.

b) Including student well-being in school objectives, monitoring and quality assurance

processes; developing guidance material on supporting mental health and wellbeing

at schools;

c) Assigning dedicated staff to supporting student and teacher well-being and

facilitating access to qualified mental-health professionals.

d) Providing support to learners to develop their Personal, Social and Learning to

Learn competence (one of the eight Key Competences for Lifelong Learning) which

can enhance the ability of pupils of different ages to learn in different contexts.

e) Ensuring that all schools and learners have access to well-functioning indoor and

outdoor spaces and equipment for physical education (motor skills tasks, games,

sports, dance) to be blended with other learning tasks.

7) Digital technology and content:

The pandemic made it clear that learners, educational staff, families and other learning providers

need to know better how to use digital technology and digital content where appropriate as part

of blended learning. The pandemic also highlighted that online learning is severely hampered

where there is a lack of Internet connectivity.

Initial VET learners greatly suffered from a lack of access and continuity during the pandemic,

which could have been partially avoided if the use of digital tools had been more widespread. It

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is not just Initial VET learners that would benefit from software such as AR and VR to simulate

real-world scenarios, but all school pupils.

Good practice:

a) Systems developing a comprehensive national digital learning strategy for school

education, which includes supporting the development of teacher and learner digital

competence.

b) Complementing the strategy by the use of self-assessment tools, such as the SELFIE

tools for schools and teachers or participation in EU initiatives such as Code Week

and the Digital Education Hackathon.

c) Including guidance or investment in effective Learning Management Systems that

support communication and organisation during the learning process in such a

national strategy.

d) Ensuring equitable access to digital tools and software that are safe and effective for

online learning, and that provide appropriate data protection.

e) Investing in high-speed internet connectivity of school site and distance learning

environments.

f) Investing in digital tools, notably in affordable Augmented and Virtual Reality

software and hardware, that can simulate real-world scenarios, and other tools such

as ePortfolios.

8) Curricula and assessment:

Even if they want to innovate their pedagogical practice, staff are constrained by rigid curricula

demands that can limit the scope of learning design and stifle innovation and broad competence

development.

Pedagogical change is severely hindered by narrow approaches to assessment. During the

pandemic education site closures, systems and institutions were forced to consider and develop

different assessment that is more appropriate to blended but were still constrained by a lack of

alternatives and by a favouring of high stakes written examinations. Even before the pandemic,

education stakeholders have been seeking better ways to capture the multiple dimensions of

learner progression, in both school site and distance learning settings.

Good practice:

a) Providing guidance for educational staff on what is possible within the confines of

the curriculum.

b) Allowing for more flexibility with autonomy within school and national curricula.

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c) Developing new approaches to assessment and final examinations with suitable tools

for formative and summative assessment, that are appropriate for different levels of

school education and equally valid for school site and distance learning settings.

d) Making better use of digital technology for different types of assessment.

9) School strategy and leadership:

Reports from the pandemic highlighted that schools could better adapt when they could design a

clear strategy and rapidly reorganise their resources and routines as appropriate to their own staff

and learners.

Change at school level requires effective leadership but not all school heads and leaders have the

necessary competences, particularly for embedding a blended learning approach.

School heads and leaders have suffered equally with “emergency” approaches that are not

necessarily of high quality or sustainable.

Good practice:

a) Ensuring a sufficient level of autonomy for school-level decision-making (by school

boards, heads, leaders) regarding the timing, logistics and resources for learning.

b) Supporting schools and associated education providers to reflect on a blended

learning approach within their own strategic planning, in a way that is coherent

with system development. This may include the use of self-assessment tools to guide

school and staff development.

c) Supporting school heads and school leaders in managing organisational change to

facilitate blended learning, with dedicated professional development and guidance

for their roles.

10) Monitoring:

Supporting positive change across the system also requires a regular generation of data that can

contribute to the ongoing monitoring of blended learning practices and new developments across

the system.

The great concern in the pandemic was an inability to generate data and robust analyses that

could inform decision-making. School evaluations and inspectorates were not set up to

appropriately support positive change, although a small number of systems are known to have

addressed this.

Good practice:

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a) Monitoring and reporting on experiences and progress in developing a blended

learning approach in primary and secondary education.

b) Combining system-wide collaboration with the timely generation of a range of data

and feedback that creates “real-time” evidence of recent developments and current

needs.

c) Considering including a focus on the blend of learning environments and tools to

annual school evaluation (by the school or inspectors). Such internal and/or

external reviews and school development planning should also consider the school

climate and culture from both a school site and distance perspective: sense of

community and identity, student and teacher well-being, working conditions, and

relationships with stakeholders.

d) Considering including external resource providers in school evaluation.

e) Considering complementary approaches to monitoring, such as a call for research

proposals.

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